agree Club always comes first but many and more so today also follow the player.
CR7 is the perfect eg regards that and MEssi modern times.
It works both ways today, many change colours depending where their fav player goes.
Sengals Mendy coming up from this season there, how many Senegalese will be watching Saudi league games - heaps of them.
Is the Saudi league a "fad" ? maybe who knows.

I just saw overnight
June 26 (Reuters) - The 2023 Club World Cup will take place in Saudi Arabian city of Jeddah, soccer's world governing body FIFA said on Monday. The decision was made following a FIFA delegation visit to Jeddah last week to assess ongoing preparations for the tournament.

Friggin FIFA loving the $$$$'s and as per chasing the USA its growth, not sure good or not.

I won't be watching it but when channel surfing IF I see a Inter Miami game I'll watch the GOAT with interest.

Fair enough mate, to each their own i suppose. I guess I also "followed" Maradona to Napoli in the 80s but to be fair I never really had a club in Serie A I followed...... although was also a bit of a fan of the Milan side with Maldini and Baresi and the flying Dutchmen...  Im the same, if I catch a highlight or a game here or there out of curiosity sure but, as an example, Bobby has been one of my favourite Liverpool players for the last 10 years but I dont think I even know or care which Saudi club he is going too nor will I go out of my way to follow his career now.... And Ive got a Firmino picture frame in my study at home lol..... 

You reckon in the near future, the Asian Champions League is going to have a player registration restructure because of this influx?

Ill also keep an eye on FIFA's new champion league format, it will make it lucrative for non euro giants and emerging countries to spend big $$$ on players to compete in it.

The global game is always evolving.

crystal ball who knows to date.

ofcourse you wouldn't have had a SerieA club to follow bloody greek :) lol......
Yer some Clubs have had some giants of the game.

Back your beloved Saudi league hehe, at least its not a franchise model mind you surprising for the King could own all the clubs hahaha
P/R rules

In terms of the competition's format, the Pro League follows a double round-robin system with every team facing each other home and away. With 18 teams now in the league, every club will play 34 games in the 2023/24 campaign.

Once the season is complete, the top two teams will qualify for the group stages of the AFC Champions League, while third place will progress into the play-off round of the competition. The bottom three will be relegated to the second tier.

I remember reading a really in-depth article about this cultural shift. Can't remember where, but it was a fascinating read. It's mainly the younger generations and the influence of social media. Not all, but a growing number of young people focus on the individual rather than a club. So if they like an NBA player like James or Durant, they'll just follow him to which ever team he is at. They have loyalty to the player and not the club. The same cultural shift was observed in Football with players like CR7 and Messi. However they did find that this segment would be defined as more of a casual supporter and would be less likely to attend or watch games regularly. However that segment did tend to purchase more club merch or products associated with the player (eg: Nike LeBron shoes). It could even be just products that the player may have been seen wearing, (eg: a certain brand of sunglasses). It's one of the reasons these players grow in value so much. A club knows they can get X amount of return just in merch sales. It may be a foreign concept to many of use that were born in the 80s or earlier, but for many young people it's just normal. 

Before Diego, my only Italian club was "anyone playing against Juve that week" hahahahahahahahahah Although Platini was one of my heroes. hahahahahahahah

As for the Saudi league ... yuk mate, bad enough this modern day bullshit about multiple clubs around the world being owned by one group but 4 x clubs in the same league ... thats just bullshit.

This just makes me sad mate..... The cult of "celebrity" is making a whole generation not happy with their own lives wanting to live through the achievements and wealth of others..... 

On the positive, It's not the whole generation, but definitely a growing segment. So there is still hope. However 'Influencer' is a job now, which didn't exist a decade ago. Tells you everything.

Mate, I know Im an "angry boomer yelling at clouds" but shit it really is sad... My daughter had her grade 6 mid year school dance and as per the school tradition the grade 6s buddy up with a preppie kid for the year and walk them out to meet the school community .. The principal gives a cute intro about each little kid  "this is Jake and when he grows up he wants to be a police officer to help keep everyone safe" sort of thing.... Every SECOND kid either wanted to be a "youtuber" or an "influencer" Jesus Christ!!!!!!!!!!!! I get every generation views the one before as old and slow, shit I was a kid and then teenager myself once, we all were, but shit is getting dire......   I just told by olds that their music sucked and their fashion was worse, I never resorted to begging total strangers for money online.....sorry rant over...

Getting back to the Saudis, at least their daughters wont be allowed to do only fans, or be influencers (or work, vote or drive for that matter)..... 

your a young angry boomer screaming re :)
someguyfc summed it up of the younger gen now, its the merch - the constant feeds by players on their SM etcetc - how it is todays world for many, we didn't grow up with mobiles.
Glad my 2 sons follow Club first, maybe I taught them something :) mind you they have their fav players but who doesn't.

Come on MSC only Platini for the ol lady, he was epic in those times, what about one of my favs il capitano Legend ADP, Rossi, Thuram, Davids, Nedved, Scirea, Zambrotta, Conte another il capitano, Zidane, Trezeguet, Buffon and one of my best favs Pirlo !
Yes I'm a bianconeri supporter from way back :)
Now would the saudi league ever grow legends of the future ? hahah now thats a good one but their one advantage at least they won't go broke like many Italian Clubs or financial problems :) .

heheheh no Platini was just my favourite from the 80s paizan :)  Illa dd to your list, Pippo Inzaghi, Dino Zoff, Viali, Cannavaro, I even liked Higauin in his early days with the "old lady"

Yeah, the change is fascinating. I remember when LA Galaxy were here (wow, so long ago) that Beckham's No. 23 shirt outsold the total of the rest of the shirts sold. I guess he was the first footballer that had that cut through, and it's certainly gone to another level with the likes of CR7 and Messi

They are just different now. I was at a shopping center a couple of weeks ago with a mate and his 16 year old son. His son literally bought a Phoenix Suns hat while wearing a Nets hat. I asked "are you still going to wear the nets hat", he replied "yep, I'm still hoping Simmons will play again soon". My mate then told me he also has Warriors and Lakers hats. My mate just shrugs and says "he works at maccas, he can spend his money on whatever dumb shit he wants, it's his money, he earned it and he doesn't listen to me". I guess they just enjoy things in a different way, that my old brain doesn't understand.

:( Reminds me of that image from years ago with the kid with the Melbourne City cap and Melbourne Victory jersey on at the same time......... (or was it the other way around?)
Just a step behind club half'n'half scarves in my opinion ..... 

...and in saying that I actually have one myself. hahahah oh the hypocrisy......   

I'm just reminded of being a teenager and it was even a risky move wearing an Adidas jacket and Nike shoes at the same time. One of your mates would definitely take the piss. I cannot even begin to imagine what would have been said if you wore two different teams at the same time. You probably would have had to change schools.

Yeah boy!!!!!!!!!!!!! you rock those frosted tips. hahahahahahahahha 

Sutho, Im getting you one of these for Christmas man. hahahahahahahahaah

the bloke death staring him behind him - sums up the universal opinion on this 

BREAKING: Liverpool legend Robbie Fowler has become the new manager of Saudi Arabian second-tier side Al-Qadsiah 🇸🇦

Seems the Saudis dont value "God"  much :P Second Division?????

Meanwhile, its nuts that such a massive, geographically, country can have 4 linked divisions??? How do they do it? How DO they do it?

why o why Robbie, I'll say he's got passion through his veins going back to the dugout for he doesn't need the $$$$'s thats for sure.

C'mon man... passion?..... pfffftttt If he had passion he could coach in any second division club (or Australian first division) in the world........ 

lol, the lady in the pink is looking at him likes he's a piece of shit on the pavement also. hahahahahahahah

they burnt him here but ran off with the crumbs they paid but I agree he should comeback coaching in our Premier Div, the NPL :)
Lambert Park faithful would welcome him a honourary eye tie !

https://www.90min.com/posts/liverpool-given-saudi-pro-league-warning-over-mohamed-salah

FFS these guys.. There are gonna be a lot of pissed off pro players in 6 months time....... 

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/fifpro-warns-players-over-signing-30213891

old articles but not unexpected - they rolled the dice with LIV golf ( for its been open to attack for yonks ) and its not going well and why the yanks gave in recently for talks was for the money and some form of control why they done the deal and the PGA will run it overall.
LIV players still want to play the PGA and followers want to see all the players compete in the same tournaments and now thats going to get sorted out.......
It actually might be for the better for its forcing the PGA to open up more finally and support backwaters like ours/Asia/India lacking big golf tournaments and other parts that has been neglected because of the PGA.

Now as for the SL, football is not like how golf has been managed, yer its not China as the one article quotes but in the big picture in the end it will not become a big league as they think......
Sure it will there but without CL/Europa and these types of comps to play in it just won't be the power they think imo in the years to come.
Yep they will keep nabbing some players (mostly 30yrs +) all for the $$$'s but in time X players will turn back.
Silva they mention, will he be an idiot, 28 at his peak wasting his time there for the $$$'s - surely he's smarter than that career wise.
$75M offer + transfer fee, CFG can afford keeping him but he's quoted wanting to leave, PSG are looking, Barca are but don't think they have the coin.
He just may end up staying - gonna be interesting thats for sure, besides Abi Dubai sure wouldn't like seeing one of their own going to a fellow border enemy another thing.
Living there has a use by date, I've read CR7 and especially the Mrs's like to head back to Spain couple of months ago for eg.....
The Salah mention been going for a while and natural being Egyptian they targetting him.
He might go next season butbutbut......

Europe football has it all, ok less $$$$ to the King and conglomerate but it doesn't have anything else at this stage.
Look at the comments of unpaid players etc
"Grabban claimed he was owed £2.2 million in compensation, although the settlement was ultimately ruled as being $500,000 (£398.2k) in unpaid wages, in addition to $700,000 (£557.4k) of compensation for a breach of contract."
This type of press won't help them no matter how much their press go on about offered $$$ contracts.
They are the disrupter all under the Vision 30 plan, parts they will prevail but forcing their way into football pedigree won't be within 18mths like they brokered a deal with PGA golf world.

ps. everything I've mentioned above I could be eating my own poop before I know it LOL......

They are pushing all the chips into the middle of the table thats for sure mate.... Personally I hope it fails spectacularly for them.... 

Talk of Jota from Celtic going to Al Ittihad on 150k pounds per week. Thats probably 10x what hes on at Celtic, hes only 24. Given the money would be tax free as well, Id assume that would put him on similar wages as the top premier league players.  

150k per week is insane - im not saying he isnt a 'decent player' but how could anyone say no to that kind of cash 

you're essentially signing a contract that secures your financial future and your families financial future 

in the end of the day this is 'a job' for these lads the money matters most