‘Can’t understand why coming here would damage Henderson’s legacy and Messi going to the MLS enhances his’: Saudi Pro League Director | Football News
One of the major talking points in the summer transfer window has been Liverpool skipper Jordan Henderson moving from the Merseyside to Saudi Pro League club Al-Ettifaq.
That, the English midfielder had honed the image of an ally of the LGBTQIA+ community during his time at the Premier League has been put under the scanner with his move to Saudi Arabia, a country where homosexuality is illegal and punishable death.
Saudi Pro League director of football Michael Emenalo however, believes that Henderson’s move to the league “is (not) going to be something that defines (players’) legacy”.
“I find it hard to understand why coming here would damage his legacy and (Lionel) Messi going to the MLS enhances his legacy. There is something wrong with that. I don’t get why that would be the case,” Emenalo said.
“I think he remains pro gay rights, I don’t think it changes anything. I’m pro having a little bit of fun every once in a while but I’m also much more pro respecting the cultures of every country, because I have done that everywhere that I have lived and have never seen one country with the same culture as the other. There’s always something different. In some countries, you can drink publicly but it (the bottle or can) has to be in a brown paper bag; and in others you can do this inside your home or not at all,” he added.
Henderson moved from Liverpool to Al-Ettifaq on a three-year contract worth £700,000 a week to join a team managed another former Liverpool legend, Steven Gerrard.
