By Guillaume K. | Sports journalist
Renowned trainer in France and Italy, Rudi Garcia also experienced the Saudi Arabia adventure. He returned to the vision of Football in this country, and in his relations with the multi-billionaire prince who managed Al-Nassr.
For several years now, Saudi Arabia has done its best to establish itself as a strong place in the international sporting landscape. A mission accomplished quite quickly in boxing for example, since it is now in the kingdom that all the biggest posters with Francis Ngannou, Tyson Fury, Anthony Joshua and even Oleksandr Usyk take place.
But the ultimate quest for the government is obviously to take the world of football by storm, which remains the most popular and lucrative sport. The organization of the 2034 World Cup will be an important step in this endeavor, even if the fans are wary for the moment… Finally, with their means, they should not lack prestigious ambassadors.
Rudi Garcia talks about his life in Saudi Arabia
Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema, two Ballons d'Or who play in the domestic championship, could why not be called upon. And they are far from being the only ones to have attempted the Saudi adventure… In 2022 for example, French coach Rudi Garcia agreed to take charge of Al-Nassr. He returned to his experience to The Square :
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It’s an adventure that is also economical, that’s a truth. When you are offered such a salary, I would like to know who would refuse. You get something to give you peace of mind for the future, and therefore you give yourself the opportunity to only make sporting choices. But it was a great life experience too. I discovered a people, unlike in Qatar the stadiums are full! There is real fervor.
At Al-Nassr you have a stadium with 25,000 supporters dressed in the club's colors, and at the start you don't have Cristiano. We were in the title race for a good part of the season, until the prince decided that my head did not belong to him because I did not play a substitute for whom he had paid 4 million. It was a whim of the prince. He pays so he decides. Even though you are fighting in all the competitions, you don't make the guy play the way he wants, he changes you.
Rudi Garcia is very honest about the reasons for his departure to Saudi Arabia: the contract was too important to refuse. But once there, he discovered a football culture that he did not expect at all. Even without Cristiano Ronaldo, the Al-Nassr stadium was still full, proof of real fervor.
Football fans are not happy about the awarding of the World Cup to Saudi Arabia in 2034. However, according to Rudi Garcia, it is a country which really vibrates for football and which will appreciate the event at its fair value.
