“Outside a stadium in Riyadh stands Abdullah in a white thob, his team’s flag in his hands, a grin on his face. ‘We will be one day like England,’ he says. ‘We will have the big stars.’ He is talking about the latest news from the rampant Saudi Pro League: Neymar, who still holds the record as the most expensive footballer ever, has signed for Al Hilal from Paris Saint-Germain. Regardless of which team they support, Saudis are revelling in the kingdom’s new role in global football. …”
The Athletic