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Why do big-star football players end up in the Gulf’s rich leagues?
What do players like Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar Jr, Karim Benzema, Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, Sadio Mane and Ruben Neves – to name a few – have in common? They are all big-star footballers who have recently moved to the Middle East to unfold their talents and on-field capabilities in the aspiring Saudi Pro League.
Ronaldo’s move to Al Nassr made the headlines of all sports news media and surprised everyone who expected that the Portuguese phenomenon would somehow continue to play for the marquee European leagues. Ronaldo’s ‘next club” became a hot betting market in global betting platforms, including every top best online casino in France, attracting the guesses and predictions of sports fans and bettors like, who were more likely to pick one of the renowned clubs of the region.
But Ronaldo stunned everyone when he announced that he would leave the Premier League to join the Saudi Pro League, after signing with Al Nassr. To the surprise of his hard-core fans, followers, and bettors, Ronaldo told everybody that he would move to Saudi Arabia for at least two and a half years, helping football gain popularity and mainstream character in the region.
Since Ronaldo’s decision to move to the Middle East grounds, many more have followed. Benzema and Neymar Jr -being the next two high-profile signings – actually applauded their fellow football player’s choice and rushed in to express their positive views on doing the same thing. Six months after Ronaldo, Karim Benzema exited Real Madrid and went to Al-Ittihad while three months after Benzema, Neymar also left PSG for Al-Hilal.
The list of European football players who are moving to Gulf countries is expanding, as the Middle-East leagues exhibit a mounting interest in getting football to become the most popular sport in the region. And with the hope of getting more popular, leagues such as the Saudi Pro League are reaching out top, marque leagues like the EPL, La Liga, Ligue 1, Bundesliga, etc.
For Saudi Arabia and Qatar -which are the main countries with an explicit interest in football players from Europe- the reasons for signing these players is rather evident. They want to come to the spotlight, obtain widespread attention and increase the leagues’ global visibility.
But what’s in it for the footballers themselves?
The short answer to that is money. But it’s also the “long” answer to it as well. Gulf countries are willing to invest enormous amounts of money to get big star footballers to their own fields. Ronaldo’s contract gave him a total of more than $500 million for less than three years, Benzema signed a contract securing nearly $300 million for the time he will spend at Al-Ittihad, while Neymar Jr agreed on an amount of nearly $81million per year. That’s really a lot of money. And if we consider that this kind of money is given to these players at the twilight of their professional football career, then it becomes rather obvious why big stars like Ronaldo, Benzema, Neymar and others of course, opt for rich leagues.
But there’s more to it. Playing for a rising league is not the same as playing for the world’s most popular leagues. Being part of a league that is now going to write its own history and climb up the ladder of success on a global level, is much more worthy for players who have been accustomed to being in the spotlight for their entire professional lives. As they are moving down the road of exiting their career in football – mostly because this sport is an early-age-retirement sport – they want to be part of something bigger than them where they can also make a difference. And what’s bigger than a filthy-rich league aspiring to become one of the world’s top football leagues?
eSports
Rootz Announces First Wildz Invitational Esports Tournament
Wildz is proud to officially announce our entry into the Counter-Strike 2 community by hosting the Wildz Invitational tournament, featuring a substantial prize pool of €25,000. This tournament, organized in partnership with Alliance and Challengermode, is open to all teams across Europe in the coming month of December.
Wildz Invitational tournament structure:
Invited Teams: 4 teams will be directly invited to compete in the playoffs stage
Open Qualifiers: Two online qualifiers, where the top 2 teams from each qualifier will secure spots in the playoffs
Playoffs: All 8 teams will face off over an intense 2 day battle
Format: All matches will be played online on the Challengermode platform to ensure accessibility for all participants.
We invite all EU teams to showcase their skills and compete for the title of being the first Wildz Champions, with a first-place prize of €16,250. Sign up now!
Open to all European teams
Qualifiers will be played as a single-elimination bracket. All matches will be BO1.
Playoffs information:
Playoffs Day #1: 21st Dec, start from 15:00 CET
Playoffs Day #2: 22nd Dec, start from 15:00 CET
Playoffs will be played as a single-elimination bracket. All matches will be BO3.
Total prize pool of €25,000 distribution:
1st place: €16,250
2nd place: €6,250
3rd place: €2,500
“We at Wildz have been huge fans of Counter-Strike for many years. When the opportunity arose, everyone at Wildz jumped at the idea of being able to sponsor and host a tournament to showcase Europe’s top CS teams,” shares Nathan Bonello, Esports Specialist at Wildz. “This is just the first of many Wildz esports activities to come, we hope that the CS players and fans worldwide can enjoy our first-ever Wildz Invitational tournament together. May the best team win!”
Greece
HIGHLIGHT GAMES ANNOUNCES GREEK RIGHTS EXTENSION
London-based video virtuals and instant win games specialist Highlight Games Limited today announces that it has secured a significant extension to its exclusive rights agreement to use archive Greek Super League footage in its betting products.
Highlight’s Greek SOCCERBET game includes archive footage from some of the Greek Super League’s most famous and iconic clubs including: AEK Athens, Aris Thessaloniki, Asteras T, Atromitos, Giannina, Olympiakos, Levadiakos, Panathinaikos, Panionios, PAOK Salonika, Platanias and Xanti.
Steven Holmes, CEO, Highlight Games said: ‘I’m delighted to announce yet another exclusive rights extension for Highlight Games. Our Greek SOCCERBET game has proven to be incredibly popular with players and it’s a testament to our ongoing relationships and quality product portfolio that we’re able to continue to deliver this exclusive content to our valued customers.’
Asia
DreamHack x Hyderabad Comic Con 2024 Day 2: Wagh Suyog crowned champion of Rapid Chess tournament; Karan Kanchan steals the show with electrifying DJ set
The second day of DreamHack 2024 x Hyderabad Comic Con, India’s largest celebration of gaming and pop culture, delivered thrilling esports action, landmark achievements, and unforgettable moments as fans turned out in large numbers at the Hitex Exhibition Centre.
Hosted by NODWIN Gaming, a leader in new-age youth entertainment, gaming, and esports this year marks the fifth anniversary of India’s biggest gaming festival. DreamHack’s legendary BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) Zone reached an unprecedented milestone, with tickets selling out for the first time ever. Gamers from across the country brought their own setups to compete and compete in titles including eFootball, THE FINALS, World Cricket Championship 3 (WCC 3), Brawlhalla, Counter-Strike 2, Spectre Divide, and many more, making the zone a hub of energy and camaraderie throughout the day.
After intense semi-final matches, Team LFO, Team Cheems, Team Payback, and AMIGOS Esports qualified for the grand finals of the OMEN VALORANT Campus Quest Season 2. Each team demonstrated exceptional strategy and team play, keeping fans on the edge of their seats.
Meanwhile, Wagh Suyog showcased remarkable talent and focus,`outmaneuvering a field of skilled competitors to win the Rapid Chess tournament and take home the INR 3 Lakh prize pool championship. His/her victory was celebrated with roaring applause, highlighting the growing appeal of chess as part of DreamHack’s diverse lineup.
In other esports action, GodLike Esports, Vibrance Esports, XLR8, and Anthem showcased their dominance on Day 2 of the Snapdragon Pro Series (Call of Duty: Mobile), while Aditya ‘The Dark Lord’ Verma emerged victorious in the Street Fighter 6 segment of KO Fight Night.
Much to the attendees’ delight KO Fight Night delivered electrifying matches in Tekken 8 and Super Mario Bros Ultimate. Players also turned out in large numbers to participate in the Retro and Board Games tournaments, adding to the vibrant gaming atmosphere.
Following suit to the electric atmosphere of DreamHack, the second day of Hyderabad Comic Con was a vibrant celebration of creativity, fandom, and entertainment. Fans were enthralled by special sessions from Maruti Suzuki Arena, Crunchyroll, and Yamaha Racing, each offering unique insights and experiences for attendees.
Attendees were also treated to comic book debuts, including The Warrior God and Abba Aari (the sequel to Mard Bann), alongside the cover launch of Weapons of Mass Extinction: Stage 1 – Blood of The Last Asuran.
On the other hand, music enthusiasts danced to an electrifying DJ set by Karan Kanchan, while rising comedy star Ravi Gupta (a.k.a. Shudh Desi Comic) had audiences in splits with his witty, desi humour.
The Meet & Greet Zone today featured 8Bit Creatives’ popular gaming personalities, such as Raj Varma (Snax), Payal Dhare (Payal Gaming), Parv Singh (Regaltos), Salman Ahmad (8bit Mamba), Monika Jeph (Sherlock Live), Nishant Williams (Willy Gamingg), Mithul Nayak (Binks), Dhwani Bhatt (Pinkcess), and Dhruv Sangwan (Dhruv), who connected with fans through their stories, popular slangs and gaming insights.
Just like yesterday, the Hyderabad Comic Con Cosplay Contest stole the show, with hundreds of cosplayers competing for a prize pool exceeding INR 5 Lakhs, including a daily grand cash prize of INR 50,000. The city’s best cosplayers battled it out to represent Hyderabad at the Indian Championship of Cosplay 2025 Qualifiers, aiming for a daily reward of INR 1.25 Lakhs.
Day 3 of DreamHack 2024 x Hyderabad Comic Con is set to be a spectacular finale, packed with more comic book launches, special sessions, and engaging fireside chats. As the event reaches its climax, SPS, OMEN Campus Quest Season 2, PAN FEST, KO Fight Night, Blitz Chess tournament, and the BYOD and retro tournaments will all wrap up with their much-anticipated grand finals.
Two critically acclaimed stand-up comedy stars, Syed Bashaar, and Harsh Gujral, will bring the laughs, while Geek Fruit will take everyone on a nostalgic journey with iconic theme songs.
For further updates and information regarding DreamHack x Hyderabad Comic Con 2024, follow NODWIN Gaming & DreamHack India on social media. Get your tickets now to experience the best of both worlds and experience the excitement of DreamHack India 2024 x Hyderabad Comic Con firsthand!
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