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Saudi Arabia's lavish recruitment drive rolls on despite Messi miss
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Saudi soccer team Al Ittihad player Karim Benzema speaks during a press conference at the presentation ceremony at King Abdullah Sports City Stadium in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Thursday, June 8, 2023. Benzema, who left Real Madrid after 14 years and 648 games, is set to play against his former Madrid teammate Cristiano Ronaldo, who joined Al-Nassr in January. - photo by AP Photo
MANCHESTER, England (AP) — Missing out on Lionel Messi hasn't slowed Saudi Arabia's ambitious recruitment drive as the oil-rich kingdom tries to establish itself as a viable destination for the world’s top players. Having already lured two of the sport's biggest stars in Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema, the Saudis amid allegations of sportswashing are targeting a host of other high-profile players from Europe's best leagues. World Cup and Champions League winner N’Golo Kante became the latest stellar player to head to the lucrative Pro League, signing a three-year contract Wednesday to team up with Benzema at Al-Ittihad.