Veteran French striker Alexandre Lacazette, captain of the Neom attack, has sparked widespread controversy in sports circles with his recent statements comparing the impact of his compatriot Karim Benzema, star of Al-Ittihad, and Portuguese legend Cristiano Ronaldo, captain of Al-Nassr, on the fields of Saudi Arabia.
Speaking on the "Sport Scoop" program on Wednesday evening, Lacazette didn't hesitate to choose Karim Benzema as the most influential foreign player for his team in the league. When asked why he preferred Benzema over the all-time top scorer Cristiano Ronaldo, Lacazette justified his opinion based on tangible achievements, saying: "Because Benzema won the title last season, that's why I thought of him," pointing to Benzema's leadership role (referring to Al-Ittihad's title-winning era) as a decisive factor in his assessment.
Context of the historical transformation of Saudi football
Lacazette's comments come at a time when Saudi football is experiencing an unprecedented boom in international signings, a project that effectively began with Cristiano Ronaldo's arrival at Al-Nassr in the winter of 2023, paving the way for an influx of top European stars. While Ronaldo is largely credited with putting the Saudi league on the global map in terms of media and marketing, Lacazette focused his technical assessment on the team's collective results and the player's direct impact on winning titles.
The former Arsenal and Lyon star addressed the significant impact of these stars' presence, emphasizing that it extends far beyond the pitch. He stated, "Having big stars on the field will naturally attract many fans, and it's good for everyone to play against top players, so it's a very positive thing." This statement reflects the growing awareness among the incoming players that they are part of a massive national sporting project aimed at making the Saudi league one of the best in the world.
Lacazette's experience with Neom and the future of the league
Regarding his personal experience, Lacazette expressed his deep admiration for the technical and competitive level in the Kingdom, explaining that reality exceeded his initial expectations. He added, "I found the level of the Saudi league to be very good, even better than I expected before I arrived. I believe that it will continue to improve over the years, and the standard will rise as the quality of Saudi players, as well as foreign players coming from abroad, develops.".
It is worth mentioning that the 34-year-old French striker joined Neom from French club Lyon in a free transfer deal during the summer transfer window, becoming one of the most prominent names in the Yellow First Division League, which confirms that attracting stars is no longer limited to Public Investment Fund clubs in the Roshan League only, but has extended to include ambitious clubs like Neom.
In terms of numbers, Lacazette quickly proved his quality, as he participated in 10 matches wearing the Nyom jersey, during which he succeeded in making his mark with 8 goal contributions, scoring 5 goals and creating 3 others during 771 minutes of play, leading his team’s ambitions towards promotion and competition in the spotlight.
