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Article continues belowArticle continues belowArticle continues below<script type="application/json" data-placement="fcplayer-semantic">{"type":"fcplayer-semantic","data":{"embedCode":"//cdn.fcp.codes/embed-code-template/embed-code-template.js#SEMANTIC_5704afb8-c10b-4ba5-9cb4-d7fb6098ef90"}}</script><ul><li>Portuguese icon started transfer trend</li><li>Joined by many more stars in the Middle East</li><li>Swedish legend snubbed similar offers</li></ul>

'Remembered for your talent, not for what you earned' - Zlatan Ibrahimovic reveals why he would never have joined Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema in the Saudi Pro League

Saudi Pro League

Al Nassr FC

Damac FC

Portuguese icon Ronaldo started the trend of superstar performers swapping elite European football for the riches on offer in the Middle East when moving to Al-Nassr on the back of <a href="https://www.goal.com/en-gb/lists/cristiano-ronaldo-jadon-sancho-can-erik-ten-hag-handle-big-stars-zlatan-ibrahimovic-questions-man-utd-boss/blt3c83adede25f5cae" target="_blank">seeing his contract cancelled at Manchester United</a>.

WHAT HAPPENED?

He has since been joined by the likes of Karim Benzema, Sadio Mane, Roberto Firmino, Riyad Mahrez, N’Golo Kante and Marco Verratti, with ex-United, PSG, Juventus and AC Milan striker Ibrahimovic telling <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TJW9XtSfFxc " target="_blank">Piers Morgan Uncensored</a> of why he would <a href="https://www.goal.com/en-gb/lists/cristiano-ronaldo-second-best-why-cr7-not-leader-man-utd-needed-gary-neville-criticism/bltf3ba041416e60edd" target="_blank">never tread that career path</a>: "I had an offer also from China. I had an offer also from Saudi, but the situation is, what do you want? What objectives do you have? I said before we started, like certain players need to finish their career on the big stage because that is the high end of your career. "You have to be remembered for your talent, not for what you earned. Because if you were remembered in the opposite way, what we are training every day for, what we are being recognised for, is our talent and that's what you want to be remembered for. So I think certain players that reach a certain level, they have to stop at a certain stage, and that's the big stage. You cannot go in a lower stage and finish your career in a different way. But some players needed the situations where you can earn a lot of money because they didn't earn enough."

THE BIGGER PICTURE

While questioning why household names have deserted the European game, Ibrahimovic can understand the appeal of heading to <a href="https://www.goal.com/en-gb/lists/watch-next-question-cristiano-ronaldo-acting-skills-promo-video-tyson-fury-francis-ngannou-fight-saudi-arabia/bltaee4bf24f506f1aa" target="_blank">a region that has invested heavily in top-level sport</a> – from golf to Formula One via boxing and football. The enigmatic Swede added: "You have the golf situation now. They came together and they made it one, so I am just sorry for the players that didn't go before because they didn't get the money that the [other] players got. Listen, wherever you play football, it's football. Football connects people. It's a dream we share, both of us. "You [Morgan] are a fan, you are not a professional. You are an Arsenal fan, and I feel sorry for you a little bit, but as a professional football player, as long as you play football, and Saudi is growing, MLS is growing. China had a peak, and then I don't know, the situation changed there. But a moral thing, no, we do things for ourselves and our family. Who would judge you in five or 10 years when you have a wealthy, healthy life and have a good life? Because I don't think anything is for free. You don't work for free. I don't work for free. I don't need money but I am very expensive, that's the difference."

WHAT THEY SAID

Ibrahimovic has now headed into retirement, but <a href="https://www.goal.com/en-gb/lists/keep-winning-cristiano-ronaldo-reacts-personal-milestone-17th-goal-season-al-nassr/blt7a82cb9d3123bb97" target="_blank">Ronaldo is still going strong at 38 years of age</a> – with the evergreen forward finding the target on 17 occasions through 16 appearances for Al-Nassr this season, while moving on to 201 caps and 123 goals for Portugal.

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

'Remembered for your talent, not for what you earned' - Zlatan Ibrahimovic reveals why he would never have joined Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema in the Saudi Pro League | Goal.com

Zlatan Ibrahimovic has asked a legacy question of Cristiano Ronaldo and Co, saying: “You have to be remembered for talent, not for what you earned.”

&apos;Remembered for your talent, not for what you earned&apos; - Zlatan Ibrahimovic reveals why he would never have joined Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema in the Saudi Pro League