“A lavish spending spree brought star players and attention to Saudi Arabia, but it has not reaped rewards for the national team who arrive at the World Cup desperate to reverse a run of poor results. The oil-rich kingdom pumped around $2 billion in three years into football, signing Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar and Karim Benzema on huge fees as it sought to turn the Saudi Pro League into one of the world's best. Saudi Arabia also won hosting rights for the 2034 World Cup, a major boost for its plan to diversify its economy by attracting tourists and business.
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