Revealing the embarrassment of the Saudi league 丨High salary can t hide the crisis of the wife team, Ronaldo gets the green light and has a privilege

Since Ronaldo signed a contract with Riyadh in late December 2022, which allegedly earned more than £3 million a week, some household stars such as Neymar, Benzema and Firmino have followed his example, and fans have begun to talk about the sacrifices made by players to get a generous salary.

In a match with an average attendance rate of only 8409 people, the lack of exposure is one of the problems raised by fans. In addition, the competition level of the Saudi professional league is not optimistic, and experienced European stars and domestic players with mediocre performance form a huge gap.

Although these topics have caused heated debate, the challenges faced by the player’s other half in a country with extremely conservative culture, harsh climate and women’s rights are rarely considered.

Not everyone is as lucky as Ronaldo and his girlfriend Georgina Rodriguez, who have obtained a special permit to cohabit (unmarried partners are usually prohibited from living together under Saudi law). They currently live in a 17-bedroom villa in the upscale residential area of ​​Riyadh, and they praise their life in the Saudi capital. Saudi Arabia prohibits unmarried couples from living together, but Ronaldo and Georgina receive special exemptions. Although Riyadh has numerous high-end restaurants and luxury retail stores and occupies a central position in the country's Vision 2030 program, led by Prince Mohammed bin Salman, aims to broaden the country's economic horizons and create a less restrictive culture, life elsewhere can still be challenging. The dazzling lights of the desert city of Riyadh in other parts of Saudi Arabia often remain relatively unchanged, while the stars’ wives or girlfriends say they are afraid to appear in public and violate local restrictions on dress or behavior.

"Life is very difficult for foreign women in Saudi Arabia, especially when locals feel that you are inappropriately dressed," said a member of the group of wives who wished to be named. "Once, they shouted at me just because my shoulders and part of my legs were exposed."

"We are not allowed to wear shorts in public despite the hot weather. Not even on the beach. If you wear them, people will look at you with annoying eyes. It will be scary."

Under the Public Etiquette Law issued in 2019, the traditional requirement that Saudi women have to cover their faces and wear black robes (abaya) has given way to a more free dress code, namely, simple, loose clothing covering their elbows and ankles. The bill aims to balance modernity and tradition.

Although richly patterned and colorful robes are becoming more common, most Saudi women still adhere to the old dress codes. For foreign women who are not adapted to their local culture, following these norms is like walking through a minefield.

Another player's wife team member said: "I was turned away from the mall because my upper arms and shoulders were not covered, and I was wearing a vest, so I could see a part of my chest."

"They told me to come back when I get dressed. But sometimes women will swear at you, which is really scary. Speaking of women, the culture here is very different and very strict. If you don't wear it well, you may have trouble when you go out."

Being booed by locals on the street is mild, and Christina Palafra, the wife of Real Mallorca midfielder Dani Rodriguez, suffered even more serious harassment. Palafra describes the club's "real panic" moment after losing to Real Madrid in the Spanish Super Cup final in January.

Rodriguez's wife, K Palafra, condemned the harassment suffered in Saudi Arabia during the Super Bowl in January "The boys in this country started shooting us up close and harassing us," Palvara told IB3 Esports Channel. "We felt a little disoriented because no one protected us, there was no security there. Their exit was dirty and we were taking the kids." Similar charges were filed by goalkeeper Dominic Grave and partner Natalia Karuzova and Sara Nogra, a partner of midfielder Manu Moranes. Karuzova said: "They broke into us, shot our videos, pushed us, touched us. They even took their phones directly to the face to shoot us."

"I was with two friends at the time and their butts were also touched," Nogra added. "They laughed at us and pushed us."

"You can't act as natural as you are in the West," said another player companion who asked not to be named. "Every time you go out you have to be careful - so you often don't dare to go out."

However, another solution is, although not all players' families can do this - that is to avoid living in Saudi Arabia together. Former Liverpool teammates Steven Gerrard and Jordan Henderson and their wife came up with this idea, and they both chose to live in Bahrain, opposite the Saudi border during their time at the Daman Cooperation Club in the eastern Saudi city of Daman.

Gerard joined the Daman Collaboration Club in the summer of 2023 and became one of the highest paid coaches in the world. After joining the club, he was granted the right to use a local luxury villa. But during his 18 months in charge, the former Liverpool captain's family has lived in Manama, the capital of Bahrain.

Gerard spent so frequently across the border, it is not difficult to see what attracted Gerald's wife, Alex Curran, to Bahrain.

The country has luxurious shopping malls, restaurants and bars, earning the reputation of the Bay Area Party Capital, and while a luxurious life may not be the priority for the mother of four, she is often found appearing in luxury shopping places like the World Trade Center and The Avenues.

The Moda Mall at the World Trade Centre in Bahrain is a place for local wealthy people and British diaspora to shop

Henderson and his wife Rebecca Burnett followed Gerard to Daman collaborate, which should help Henderson transition to a new way of life. But Henderson ended his career here after just six months of playing for Damman collaboration, giving up his £350,000 per week contract in favor of Ajax, as rumors say his wife and two daughters were uncomfortable even in Bahrain.

Gerard and Henderson took a photo at the Daman collaborative signing ceremony "Barrain is good, but it feels a bit like being in a bubble," said a woman who has seen Rebecca. “It might be a little boring because it feels like living in a very luxurious all-inclusive resort.”

However, the Geralds did not seem to have such a problem and they became regular guests of the Bahrain Rugby Club, a gathering place dedicated to foreigners and owning a large sports bar.

Daniel McCree is a Liverpool fan. Like Gerrard, he often goes to this bar to watch the Premier League. He said the Liverpool legend has often drink beer and chat with locals.

McCree said: "He likes to drink beer, socialize, and talk about football, and these are not found in Saudi Arabia." "And women live more conveniently here, which may be the reason why his wife wants to come here. You can walk around in shorts or vests, and no one will bother you, so Bahrain is more attractive."

Regardless of the relative advantages of the two countries, a group of wives of a football player in Saudi Arabia undoubtedly represents a conflict between two extreme cultures. While it should be recognized that the country is becoming more progressive, the pace of change is slow.

"The wife group of football players who came to Saudi Arabia was very shocked by the restrictions they were subject to," said Neda Rodriguez, 44, a Colombian who has lived in Saudi Arabia for a decade and has become friends with many of the wife group members.

"I totally understand why foreign women don't like Saudi Arabia and are scared, but people go there because they can make money. Life has gotten better than five years ago, and things are changing, but in my opinion, it's not fast enough."