“He’s only in it for the money,” has been the global reaction to Cristiano Ronaldo’s move over to Saudi Arabia, a comment he personally addresses in the new Netflix documentary, Saudi Pro League: Kickoff. But if the new series proves anything, it’s that his fire has never burned brighter.
The long awaited Netflix series provides an exclusive, behind-the-scenes look at the transformative journey of five key football clubs—Al Nassr, Al Hilal, Al Ittihad, Al Ahli, and Al Etiffaq. It documents the 80 year football history and passion embedded deep within Saudi Arabia, and how locals navigate the challenges posted by the climate, customs, and competition of the Saudi Pro League. The 6-episode documentary followers the signing of Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar, Gerrard, and other international superstars to the Saudi Pro League, and how these legendary titans work together to elevate the League’s appeal and formidability on a global scale.
Esquire Middle East caught up with Emmy-award winning showrunner, Christopher G. Cowen, to discuss the show, working with Ronaldo, and the future of Saudi football.
Esquire: How was your experience filming with global stars? Did you face any challenges?
Cowen: Having access to the biggest footballers in the world was a unique and special opportunity as a filmmaker. Being able to document their daily training and dietary regimens as well as their familial and professional obligations was fascinating. The series also presented challenges in coordinating our crew across numerous clubs that are spread across multiple cities in Saudi Arabia which took a herculean effort by the entire Whisper team. We were very fortunate that all of the athletes, managers and club staff members put the “pro” in professional sport and helped us manage schedules to achieve our goal in capturing the scope and scale of the Saudi League.
Esquire: Is the series targeted at local Saudi fans or international audiences?
Cowen: Our primary goal was always to shine a spotlight on the Saudi League that engages the Saudi fan base that has supported football in the country for nearly 80 years. The pride and passion the Saudi fans have for their specific clubs is something truly special that will resonate with fans around the world. That said – the influx of international superstars from Europe, Africa, other Middle Eastern countries, and beyond not only bolsters the global reach of the league but the growth of the game.
Esquire: Were there any memorable interactions with players during filming?
Cowen: My first few days at each of the clubs, my camera operator and I would arrive at the club early and film the players as they arrived for training. I loved watching them greet and embrace the coaches, security guards and training staff each day as they entered the locker room. The sense of camaraderie at each of the clubs was palpable.
It’s funny – but my eight year old son plays and loves football and the first thing I told him about the series was that Abdulrahman Ghareeb gave me a high-five and a hug as he entered the club, and then Cristiano Ronaldo slapped me on the back and yelled “California man!” My son now has a pretty good rotation of SPL jerseys that I bought while in Saudi – but he hasn’t chosen his favorite team – yet.
Esquire: How did you decide on the structure and format of the doc series?
Cowen: Our team worked really diligently with the Netflix team to craft a compelling story around the human stories and unique dynamic that were developing as foreign players came into the Saudi Pro League. We made a deliberate choice to interweave the stories of multiple clubs, players and managers to showcase the transformation of the league while not shying away from the remarkable local, home grown stories of Saudi Players who clearly deserve to be part of the conversation. As more and more sporting leagues around the world garner attention from documentary films and series, we were determined to showcase storylines that inspired and informed us. Each step of the filmmaking process was a considered step – making sure that we considered the various languages within the league, the cultural and regional sensitivities and the diversity of our crew.
Saudi Pro League: Kickoff is now available to stream on Netflix.
