Despite Signing Stars Like Cristiano Ronaldo, Why the Saudi League Can Never Rival the Best, Ex-Al Nassr Chief Scout Reveals the Big Reason

It’s no secret that the Saudi Pro League remains on its mission to become the best. Hefty investments from Saudi’s PIF or offering lucrative contracts to lure in big names like Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar—they are leaving no stone to take the crown in domestic soccer. Yet, despite these monumental efforts, they might be forced to swallow the hard pill as Al Nassr’s former sporting director claims the country’s ‘weather conditions’ will always keep them behind other leagues. 

Goran Vucevic knows what’s the worst part about being in Saudi Arabia. Speaking in one of the interviews that was compiled by X account, @X99i3, he asserted, “I don’t think the Saudi League will ever become one of the best leagues in the world, because of the weather conditions they have.” For those unaware, heat remains a persistent issue in the Middle East, with temperatures typically reaching above 122° F or 50° C during summers. 

This makes it difficult for players to perform in such treacherous heat, particularly given their tendency to sweat heavily during gameplay. Notably, former Al Nassr manager Rui Vitoria once emphasized the intolerable heat conditions prevalent in the Gulf nation. He stated, “There is always a problem, which is the temperature. When we were playing in Jeddah, there were players hallucinating and losing consciousness between halves.” Clearly, this poses a significant challenge for the country’s domestic league, which is already striving to ascend to the pinnacle of the beautiful game.

Potential players will undoubtedly reconsider joining the Roshn Saudi League in the future. Other leagues, primarily in Europe, offer more favorable weather conditions. While many have shared their past experiences, how are current stars coping with Saudi Arabia’s scorching heat? 

How are Cristiano Ronaldo and other big names coping with the challenges of Saudi Arabia’s heat?

Well, the heat has even left the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo wiping their sweat. Earlier, the Portuguese superstar opened up about the change of  weather after leaving Europe. “The biggest difference I have found in Saudi is obviously the heat and adapting schedules to train later in the day when it is cooler. But I have really gotten used to that now,” he said. Even his fellow teammate, Alex Telles, had complaints about the weather. 

The Brazilian defender once narrated, “One time in the summer, I came to the club in the morning and could not run around the field because of the temperature.” Clearly, players have struggled to adapt to extreme heat waves in the desert country.

It remains to be seen how Saudi Arabia addresses this challenge. Otherwise, it could lead to a downward trend in their domestic league, validating Goran Vucevic’s prediction.