Ashko: Felix is very similar to Draxler, Ronaldo makes Saudi football a "sub-center"

Felix officially joined Riyadh and won, and Ronaldo became an important factor in Felix's transfer. Many people think that Felix is so young, and everyone's impression of him is still in his golden boyhood. This Portuguese star just went to the Saudi League to make money, and sooner or later he will return to the top five leagues. However, former Turkish star Ashko believes that Felix is unlikely to return to the mainstream league because he has already gone downhill and the players are no longer energetic. Even if he is still young, he will not return to his courage. Ashko said: Felix is very similar to Draxler. They have high basic talents and excellent football feeling, so they have attracted much attention when they were teenagers. However, none of them made the right choice during the critical period of their career development.

Draxler refused to leave Paris Saint-Germain in order to have a high salary, which led to his career going downhill early. Felix was wrong when he came to Atletico Madrid. In fact, he also wanted to leave Simeone completely, but the management always hoped that he could make a comeback. After Felix fell into a loan career, his growth period was also delayed, so his situation was very similar to Draxler. These two genius boys did not meet Bole, nor did they make good choices, which resulted in having to hang out in the fringe league at a young age. At the same time, Ashko also talked about another fact - Ronaldo has made Saudi football a "sub-center". The five major European leagues belong to the "center" of world football, with professional value and business system at the top, so Saudi football is also developing in this direction.

Looking at the two clubs, Riyadh Crescent and Riyadh Victory, already have many first-line football stars. Although most of them are over balloon stars, they can still enhance the commercial value of Saudi football when they are "retired". The reason why these people chose to be teammates or opponents with Ronaldo is largely because the Portuguese superstar has too strong influence. He led the Saudi league alone, making Saudi football a "sub-center". The five-time Golden Globe winner not only brought top-notch football skills, but also led the spotlight of global media to this once neglected football hotspot. In the victory of Riyadh, the stadium was full, and the discussion on social media exceeded that of some of the five major leagues. This "Royce effect" is reshaping the ecology of Saudi football - the price of broadcasting rights soars, sponsors are coming one after another, and even the youth training system has begun to learn from the advanced European experience.

It is worth noting that Saudi football's ambitions are more than just becoming a nursing home. They are using Ronaldo as a fulcrum to build a more sustainable development model. The league has introduced VAR technology, the club has begun to build a modern training base, and even tried to introduce stars who are in their playing years. These actions all show that Saudi Arabia wants to create a real competitive stage, not just a commercial show. This transformation also faces challenges. How to balance the playing time between local players and superstars? How to avoid becoming a simple pile of "oil and gold yuan"? But it is undeniable that under the leadership of Ronaldo, Saudi Arabia is writing a new narrative of the football territory - when Europe is still the temple of football, the Middle East has quietly risen into a sub-center that cannot be ignored. There may be more "sub-centers" in the future, but the Saudi model undoubtedly provides an important model for latecomers.

Regarding Felix, it looks very much like Draxler. After the ball, I believe that Draxler is too greedy for money, but Felix has many external factors that have caused his regrets. After all, judging from some periods when Felix was loaned to Barcelona and Chelsea, he has also shown his skills and worked very hard, but he has not shone for a long time. Stories of the Fall of Genius like Felix and Draxler in the football world are not uncommon. When young players face a crossroads in their careers, they are often blinded by short-term interests and ignore long-term development plans. Draxler could have continued to hone his skills in Wolfsburg and waited for a more suitable giant invitation; if Felix had chosen to join a team with more offensive traditions, he might have already realized his talent. But the cruelty of the football market lies in that when a player is labeled as "high salary and low energy", it takes more effort to reverse his impression.

It is worth pondering that the relationship between clubs and players in the modern football system is undergoing subtle changes. On the one hand, giant teams are increasingly inclined to regard young players as value-added assets rather than talents that need patience; on the other hand, the rise of social media makes young players more susceptible to external evaluations. In this environment, there are very few players like Mbappe who can maintain competitive standards and be proficient in career planning. For Felix, who is still in his year of fighting, there may be a chance to prove himself again. He needs to find a tactical system that truly suits him in his loan career, like Griezmann did. Draxler's case reminds latecomers: In the golden period of his career, stable playing time is far more important than a generous salary. After all, the peak period of football players is fleeting, and only by continuing to shine on the field can we avoid becoming another footnote to "injuring Zhongyong".