On October 9, soccer great Carlo Cannavaro, the manager of Guangzhou Evergrande, met with the Italian media to talk about his coaching career in the top league of Chinese soccer, and gave an in-depth analysis of the soccer environments in the Chinese Super League and Saudi Arabia. His words were sharp, and he was frank and honest in the face of questions from journalists, sharing his insights without reservation.
Speaking about the Chinese Super League, Cannavaro was outspoken about the fact that it relies heavily on private capital to drive its operations, especially at the professional management level. In contrast, the Saudi league is government-driven and therefore far superior to China in terms of guarantees. He is convinced that many of the problems of the Chinese Super League, such as wage arrears, broken relationships with stars, and the financial difficulties of clubs, are not present in Saudi Arabia. This is the reason why stars are choosing the Chinese Super League in droves.
Cannavaro's comments quickly triggered a heated debate among Chinese Super League fans and domestic soccer fans. Some agreed with him that his statement truly reflected the differences between the Chinese Super League and Saudi Arabia; others thought his rhetoric was too radical. Although there are significant differences between the two in terms of capital operations, both are in the vortex of gold-dollar soccer, so such a comparison does not seem appropriate.
Cannavaro's dissatisfaction with the Chinese Super League is obvious. He faced a lot of controversy despite showing exceptional coaching talent at Guangzhou Evergrande. His career has not been as glittering as expected since leaving the CSL. Although he has studied under the famous coach Lippi, he has not been able to make a major breakthrough so far.
Meanwhile, the attraction of the Saudi league has sparked the same attention from soccer fans around the world. The addition of Cristiano Ronaldo and the emergence of top stars such as Benzema and Neymar have made the Saudi league the center of global attention. Although the Saudi league has problems similar to those of the Chinese Super League, the stars seem to value it more for its commercial value. Ronaldo is rumored to have conducted several rounds of negotiations to ensure his interests were protected when he signed.
Ronaldo's influence has also made stars like Benzema and Neymar willing to set foot in the Saudi league. Although Cannavaro's stance is different from that of the domestic fans, his future in Saudi Arabia may be different from that of the Chinese Super League. Although the Saudi league also has the problem of "gold dollar soccer" similar to the Chinese Super League, but perhaps its influence can last longer.
