Steven Gerrard Joins Saudi Arabia’s Football Boom
Steven Gerrard, Liverpool legend and former captain, is the latest football star to jump ship to Saudi Arabia. The 43-year-old has landed the head coach role at Al-Ettifaq after being out of work since his Aston Villa exit in October.
Big Money Pulls Gerrard to the Gulf
Despite turning down Saudi offers before, Gerrard couldn’t resist the fat paychecks this time. Al-Ettifaq announced the deal on Twitter, boasting: “Where legends are found. We’re thrilled to announce Steven Gerrard as our new head coach.”
Backed by the Saudi sovereign wealth fund, Al-Ettifaq finished seventh in the Saudi Pro League last season. The league has been grabbing top talent from Europe with eye-watering salaries.
More Big Names Switching to Saudi Football
- Croatia star Marcelo Brozovic just signed with Al Nassr. The 30-year-old midfielder captained Inter Milan in the recent Champions League final against Manchester City and has 87 caps for Croatia.
- Since Cristiano Ronaldo kicked off the craze by joining Al Nassr in January, other big players have followed. Karim Benzema and World Cup winner N’Golo Kante recently moved to Al-Ittihad.
- Top coaches are heading there too. Ex-Tottenham boss Nuno Espirito Santo and former Benfica manager Jorge Jesus have joined Saudi clubs.
Gerrard’s Next Challenge
Gerrard shone as a manager at Rangers, leading them to their first league title in 10 years during the 2020/21 season. Now, all eyes are on how he can transform Al-Ettifaq in the thriving Saudi league.
Football fans will be watching closely to see if Gerrard’s star quality can lift the Saudi side to new heights.
