HannibalBarca
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I am not saying that those talents could be or can become the next Messi or C. Ronaldo but obviously there is a very large talent pool in the Arab world which is why European scouts are starting to prioritize the Arab football market in order to discover the next Salah not to mention all those with European passports that already made it decades ago and are making it each year today.
Optimism/patriotism excluded, it's hard to disagree with this viewpoint. It's similar with Africa btw but that region has more scouts somehow.
The Saudi Arabian football league is strong for Asian standards (the best with the Japanese and Chinese) but it is very far behind the best European leagues. Surprised that Tunisian fans think like that.
I agree but at the other hand I understand their viewpoints too. For many footballers (vast majority who are not among the very elite) it's just a job for them. If they can be paid much more money and work and live in a familiar and safe environment back home surrounded by family, friends etc. what is their incitement to leave? On the other hand some African teenager from say Nigeria, escaping poverty and looking to feed his family, is going all in. Vast majority fail but those who succeed are much stronger mentally than the average Arab talent. Much stronger. Sure, there are poor Arab nations (plenty nowadays) but it's not the same desperation as in Sub-Sahran Africa.
But we have talked a lot but how to change the mentality then? I see no other solution than what UAE and Qatar is doing currently thanks to Man City and PSG.
Let us see what such academies can develop of players in the future. I am hopeful as it is impossible to do worse than currently.
For sure, it's gonna be impossible to do worse.
But Elite Athletes around the World... That are admired for their talent made themselves by their harsh reality, almost none of them got an Easy life, neither before or after their fame... They were people who always pushed for their limits.
The problem with "Academies" is the way they perceive "Talents", Like Zidane said... "I wasn't good enough for them... Today, They scream my name..."
Academies are lambda schools, where to enter you need to fill certain requirement... a certain type of play that teams are seeking...
But Football, isn't meant to be a robotic game, like what we begin to see more and more with the newest generation... The time of "Creation" is fading away...
The likes of Ronaldinho-Zidane-Ronaldo-Cristiano-Messi-Robben-Rooney-Muller are no more... What we've got are some wannabe "Masters" who can't dribble without losing the ball after passing one guy...