By Arley Salimbi Gill – In “The Colonizers Model of the World: Geographical Diffusionism and Eurocentric History’’, J.M. Blaut posits, “Eurocentrism is quite simply the colonizer’s model of the world.” In recent weeks, European football enthusiasts have demonstrated Blaut’s definition of Eurocentrism with their strong criticism and condemnation of Saudi Arabia’s emergence as a major economic player in global football.

Typically, the conversation this time of year is dominated by discussions and debates about the football transfer window and which elite soccer players are transferring to which top football clubs. However, this summer, the football window conversation has been eclipsed by the move of high profile European League players to the Saudi Professional League (SPL).

Cristiano Ronaldo’s transfer to Al-Nassr in January made headlines around the world—due partly to his tumultuous time with Manchester United and his overall stature as an elite player. After all, he has passed his prime, and seemingly on the hunt for a final pay day. Interestingly, Ronaldo’s move was not viewed as the beginning of a trend that would upend Europe’s position as the centre of global football.

However, just six months later and with several high profile players heading to the Saudi Pro League— European football pundits have a problem. Their problem is based on a simple observation: the players exiting European clubs are younger than Ronaldo and are still able to compete with the best stars in premier European leagues. Players such as: Karim Benzema, Ruben Neves, Kalidou Koulibaly, N’ Gole Kante, Edouard Mendy and other young and talented professionals will continue to leave Europe for the Middle East, with top coaches already in the region. This developing scenario has Europeans hopping mad.

The Union of European Football Associations’ (UEFA) President Aleksander Ceferin, in sharing his perspective on the issue of Saudi Arabia and the Saudi Professional League, proffered that, “the system of buying players that almost ended their career is not the system that develops football. It was a similar mistake in China when they bought players who are at the end of their career.”

Gary Neville, a leading English football pundit and former footballer, called for the English Premier League to launch an immediate investigation into the huge sums of money Saudi Arabia is pumping into English football during the transfer window.

He is yelling like a man out of breath for a regulator to sort out this mess engulfing English football (the mess being Saudi Arabia’s ability and interest in buying players from English clubs).

Jamie Carragher, like Neville, a leading pundit—and former footballer too—hit the nail on its head as he tweeted his conscience, “I wasn’t’ worried about the Saudi Pro League taking players in their 30’s, a touch worried with players below the elite, (referring to Ruben Neves) but if this happens, it feels like a game changer. Saudi Arabia has taken over golf. They’ve taken over the big Boxing fights. Now, they want to take over football! This sportswashing needs to be stopped!”

I am guessing—he was soiling his pants in fright as he tweeted his outrage. Carragher’s reference to golf, is of course, a reference to the LIV tour established by Saudi Arabia to rival the PGA tour— the longstanding American-European controlled professional golf tournament.

The Europeans are forever threatened by any country with wealth and power that rivals their hegemonic status as controller of world affairs—whether it is politics, economics, entertainment, or sports—and they have found a convenient ally in the United States. Both allies cherish their historic and heralded transatlantic cooperation. I will leave readers to figure out the common thread between these two societies.

In my opinion, it is this threat—the loss of global football dominance—that catalyzed the fall of Sepp Blatter and Jack warner. Two men who dared to influence the decision that countries other than England and the United States of America should have hosted the last two soccer World Cups. This is not to say that the leadership of FIFA is not corrupt.

Interestingly, however, Europeans have always turned a blind eye to corruption when it benefited their interests. They’ve shown us that they will not stand idly by and allow people, even if it is their own people (Europeans), to threaten their football interests. Unfortunately, for the rest of the world— they have found ways to paint non-Europeans as the worst of the lot, if not ring leaders of corruption.

The truth is— the economic strength of Europe (built mostly off wealth generated in the colonies in the Global South, underdeveloped or developing countries) created the platform for them to develop the best football leagues in the world; and provided much of the wealth for investments made in player development, facilities, players’ salary, the market for selling merchandise, viewership, and of course, a large fan base that truly loves the game.

There is no doubt in my mind that South America has a huge football fan base as well and can proudly boast of producing some of the best football talents in the world; but, they simply cannot compete economically with Europe. As a result, several of the best South American footballers are forced to play in Europe. Sadly, this hemorrhaging of the youngest and best football talent from South America to Europe may continue for the foreseeable future.

I believe, it is a positive development that a country like Saudi Arabia, or even a region, can rival the Europeans in financial investment and is able to attract top footballing talent to their league.

The military, economics and political decision-making remain core considerations for Western Europe and the United States and other emerging powers. However, we are supposed to believe that global political powerbrokers do not consider sports, culture and entertainment in their quest for global domination. We must always remember that today’s global hegemons aspire to dominate all sectors of society. So, with countries like Saudi Arabia and India using their economic prowess to reshape the sporting world—it might just be the beginning of the end of Eurocentrism.

India has been able to use its financial strength to wrestle the center of attention for cricket from Europe—through the IPL. However, the English was able to forge a strategic alliance with the Australians to retain some semblance of influence on the sport.

Unfortunately, for us in the Caribbean, the West Indies Cricket Board gives the impression that they are clueless of the power dynamics of the sport and have performed worse in this regard than the West Indian players on the field. West Indies cricket feeds and survives on the crumbs falling off the table of world cricket—this though, is a subject for another article.

As a critical sports observer and enthusiast, I will end by admonishing the English to: stop saying that ‘Bazball’ is changing the face of world test cricket. They must know or be reminded that the West Indies cricket team, under its legendary captain, Clive Lloyd, introduced, played and dominated world cricket by playing attractive and aggressive cricket with both the bat and the ball.

Here we are, decades later, and the English are pretending that they invented Bazball. This “sportswashing” must stop! Carragher may very well agree with me.