At what time is money worthless?
That is, in short, the question with which the women and girlfriends of football players in the two and a half years since the Gulf state have been lured to Saudi Arabia, started diversifying his oil-based economy and his international reputation, first began to revitalize his international report.
Since Cristiano Ronaldo signed a deal with Al-Nassr, justified more than £ 3 million a week in December 2022, which encouraged other well-known names such as Neymar, Karim Benzema and Roberto Firmino to follow in his footsteps, a lot has been talked about the sacrifices made in exchange for their fat payments.
Lack of exposure, in a competition with an average presence of only 8,409, belonged to the issued increased. Competitive level too, what with the crooked amalgam of the Saudi Pro League of seasoned pros and overwhelming domestic talent. And that is before we even get the more serious questions that are asked by the questionable human rights record of the Kingdom.
Although those subjects have been brightly discussed, a scarce thought has been given to the challenges that the partners of players are confronted in a country known for its deeply conservative culture, sizzling climate and terrible women's right record.
Not all have not been as happy as Ronaldo and his girlfriend Georgina RodrÃguez, who received special dispensation to live together (according to Saudi legislation, unmarried couples are normally forbidden to live together). The couple currently lives in a villa with 17 bedrooms in Al Muhammadiyah, an exclusive residential area in Riyad, and has been exuberant about life in the Saudi capital.
But while Riyadh offers an abundance of high-end restaurants and luxury stores, and occupies a central place in the Vision 2030 program of the country, led by Prince Mohammed Bin Salman and designed to broaden the horizon of the country and creating a less restrictive culture, life can be a challenge elsewhere.
Women and girlfriends in other parts of the kingdom, where traditional attitudes often remain relatively unchanged, say they are afraid to venture into public, otherwise they must fulfill the expectations about clothing or behavior.
“It is very difficult for Expat Women in Saudi Aarabia, especially if the locals feel that you are not dressed well,” said a WAG, speaking of anonymity. 'On one occasion I was shouted only because my shoulders and part of my legs were shown.
“We are not allowed to wear shorts in public, despite the heat. You can't even wear them on the beach. And if you do that, people look at you as if they hate you. It can be very intimidating. '
According to the Public Decency Act, introduced in 2019 in an attempt to find a balance between modernity and tradition, the traditional requirement for Saudi women to cover their faces and to wear the abaya – a black, full -length robe – made way for a more liberal emphasis covering the elbows and somebels.
But although the pattern and colorful Abayas are more common, most Saudi women continue to observe the old dress codes. For foreign women who are not used to culture, compliance with expectations can be such as navigating by a minefield.
“I was rejected from shopping centers only because my upper arms and shoulders were not covered and you could see a part of my chest while I had a vest,” said another player's partner.
'People said I had to return when I am well dressed. Sometimes women scream abuse against you, and it can be very frightening. When it comes to women, the culture is very different here and they are very strict. If you are not well covered, you can have a hard time when you go out. '
Problems vary from hissing on the street by the local population to the more serious intimidation that Cristina Palavra, the wife of the real Mallorca midfielder Dani RodrÃguez, experienced. Palavra described moments of 'real panic' after the club's defeat against Real Madrid in the Spanish Super Cup final of January, which was performed in Jeddah, as it has been since 2019 under the conditions of a lucrative long-term agreement.
“The boys from this country started to take pictures of us up close and bother,” Palvara told Esports IB3. 'We felt a bit disoriented because we had no one who protected us. The exit was very bad. We went with the children and there was no security. '
Natalia Kaluzova and Sara Noguera, respectively the partners of goalkeeper Dominik Greif and midfielder Manu Morlanes, made similar accusations.
'They came to our group and [were] Videos from us and pushed us, they touched us, pushed phones into our faces and filmed us, “said Kaluzova.
“I was with two friends who had touched their soil,” added Noguera. “They laughed at us, pointing at us and pushed us.”
Between the extremes of sexual harassment and social conservatism – some hotel pools are forbidden for women, while gyms are separated – the obvious temptation is simply to stay inside.
“You can't just act naturally like you in the West,” said the partner of another player, again speaking on condition of anonymity. “You have to be on your guard every time you leave the front door – so you don't tend to go out.”
Another way to bypass the situation, although not one that is available to the families of all players, is just to prevent them from living together in Saudi Arabia. That was the solution that was sustained by former Liverpool teammates Steven Gerrard and Jordan Henderson and their wives, who both chose to live across the border in Bahrain during their time in Al-Etifaq, in the eastern city of Dammam.
Gerrard, who became one of the world's best paid managers when he came to Al-Intifaq in the summer of 2023, was used to use a luxury local villa when joining the club.
But during the duration of his 18 months, the family of the former Liverpool skipper stayed in the capital of Bahrain, Manama.
So Gerrard regularly made the hour-long commuting across the border that he was moved at one point to call a local radio in an attempt to donate rumors that he was permanently located in the country.
It is not difficult to see what the wife of Gerrard, Alex Curran, could have pulled to Bahrain.
The lush shopping centers, restaurants and bars of the country have yielded a reputation as the party capital of the Golf region, and although life was perhaps not the first priority for the mother of four, she was often seen on luxury shopping, such as the World Trade Center and the Avenues.
In theory, the proximity of Henderson and his wife Rebecca Burnett, whose arrival in Al-Etifaq followed Gerrard's closely, should have helped with the transition to a new way of life.
But Henderson demolished his stay in Al-Eittifaq after just six months and left his £ 350,000 a week contract to join Ajax in the midst of rumors that his wife and two daughters felt uncomfortable, even in Bahrain.
“As beautiful as Bahrain is, it's a bit like being in bubble,” said a woman who met Rebecca. “It can get a bit boring because it is like living in a very chic all-inclusive resort.”
However, the Gerrards did not seem to have such problems and became regulars at Bahrain Rugby Club, an exclusive expat hangout with a large sports bar.
Daniel Mcrae, a Liverpool fan who, like Gerrard, visited the bar to watch Premier League matches, said that the Liverpool -legend often enjoyed a pint and a chat with the locals.
“He likes a beer, he likes to socialize and have a chat about football, and you don't get that in Saudi Arabia,” said McRae.
'And it is easier for women to live here, so his wife probably wanted to be here here. You can go in shorts or a vest and nobody will disturb you, so that makes Bahrain more attractive. '
Whatever the relative merits of the two countries, the presence of the partner of a football player in an authoritarian state as Saudi Arabia undoubtedly represents a collision of cultural extremes. And although it must be recognized that the country is becoming increasingly progressive, the pace of change is slow.
“The women of football players who have come to Saudi are very shocked by the limitations placed on them,” said Neyda Rodriguez, 44, a Colombian who has been living in Saudi Arabia for ten years and becomes friends with a number of wags.
'I can fully understand why foreign women don't like it in Saudi and feel pretty intimidated, but people are there because of the money they can earn.
“Life is better compared to five years earlier and things change, but in my opinion they don't change fast enough.”