Ruben Neves reveals why he chose to move to Saudi Arabia.
Last winter, the “transfer of the century” took the world by storm. Cristiano Ronaldo, considered one of the greatest players of all time alongside Lionel Messi, left Europe. His destination: Saudi Arabia. Many people were surprised by Ronaldo’s decision to move to Saudi Arabia instead of the United States or South America.
Since then, Saudi Arabia’s performance has been phenomenal. The kingdom has attracted a number of world-class players as if to challenge Europe. Real Madrid’s ‘ace’ Karim Benzema, the 2022 Ballon d’Or winner, and N’Golo Kante, who led Chelsea to their glory days.
The shock didn’t end there. Neves of Wolverhampton Wanderers also chose to move to Saudi Arabia. Although he doesn’t have the name recognition 온라인카지노 of Ronaldo, Benzema, or Kante, many were surprised by his move. Neves was only 26 years old. It didn’t make sense that a player just entering his prime would choose Saudi Arabia over an extension of his European career. It’s not that the Saudi league is bad, but it’s not as competitive as the European leagues, and Neves was already attracting interest from a number of big clubs, including Barcelona.
Some people criticized the move. Some criticized the player for choosing the money over the challenge. Of course, fans can be disappointed. However, money is one of the main reasons why players play soccer. So, if Neves chose to go to Saudi Arabia for the money, we can”t blame him.
In this situation, Neves himself revealed why he chose Saudi Arabia. The reason, he said, was “family. In an interview with Al-Hilal, he said: “It was a good project. The club and the league presented me with a good project. My agent talked to a lot of people involved with the league. It was an easy decision. I wanted something new for my career. When this offer came, I talked to my family and everyone was very happy. So the choice was easy. The main factor was my family. I was given the opportunity to give my family the life I had always dreamed of. I have three kids and a lovely wife, and I have to take care of them. That’s more important to me than anything else.”
He went on to talk about the vision of the league. “The main goal of the league is to constantly improve,” Neves said. The people involved in this are doing a great job. They are bringing some fantastic players to the league.”
After Neves, a number of European players have also headed to Saudi Arabia. Kalidou Koulibaly, Edouard Mendy, Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, and more. Players who have made their mark in Europe are now looking to take on new challenges in Saudi Arabia.