France’s national coach Didier Deschamps can certainly understand the motives of football professionals for a move to Saudi Arabia.
“I’m not going to throw stones,” said the 54-year-old in an interview with the French sports newspaper “L’Équipe”: “I understand that the players think about it and make the decision to go there. It’s such a difference economically .”
Among others, the French Karim Benzema and N’Golo Kanté are now playing in the kingdom, which pays huge salaries but has been criticized for the human rights situation.
Other stars followed Cristiano Ronaldo
The two most prominent kickers in Saudi Arabia are certainly Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar. The Brazilian recently joined Al-Hilal.
The league in Saudi Arabia will become more competitive due to the well-known additions of coaches, said Deschamps. He also doesn’t want to close the door to the national team for players who have moved there. When asked if he had been contacted himself, Deschamps replied, according to “L’Équipe”, laughing: “You don’t have my number.” In addition, he is not available.
Deschamps has been training the Équipe tricolore since the summer of 2012. In 2018 he became world champion with France as a coach, and as a player he had won the European and World Cup titles with the selection. His contract with the association is valid until mid-2026 and thus until the World Cup in the USA, Canada and Mexico.