17 games, 0 goals and lighting in a bottle that is what Al-Ettifaq got from former Liverpool star Jordan Henderson. The high-priced deal was mutually terminated as rumors of Henderson having issues adapting to the country and not being able to put up with the immense heat.
Games are played in 100-degree weather with evening fixtures even having 95 degrees by game time. A source told The Sun, “Jordan knows he has made a terrible mistake and stands to lose a lot of money. But he can’t face another day in Saudi. He has found the heat intolerable, and the quality of the football is, frankly, beneath his talents and won’t keep him in the England reckoning.”
Henderson’s disinterest showed, often handing in barely passable performances. The move to Ajax has reinvigorated the 33-year-old who has a fresh start at a major European club and took a massive pay cut to leave the Saudi Pro League.
Empty stadiums and culture shock
According to an investigative report by The Sun, the culture shock and strict conduct laws in Saudi Arabia force many teams to play in near empty stadiums.
The women must wear burkas, while Arab men are mostly in robes, and a few are in jeans and a t-shirt. Alcohol is banned from the stadium, the wives of the players are not allowed to the stadium, but exceptions are made from time to time.
Cristiano Ronaldo of Al Nassr reacts after missing a goal opportunity during the Pre-Season Friendly match between Celta Vigo and Al Nassr at Estadio Algarve on July 17, 2023 in Faro, Portugal. (Photo by Gualter Fatia/Getty Images)
Those who do arrive to the stadium having drank alcohol could face a punishment by flogging, while a source told The Sun, “A lot of top players brought in at huge expense from the Premier League and Europe feel the same — and Jordan won’t be the first to leave.”
