Former Dutch footballer Tessel Middag on rejecting Saudi offers, human rights and football's moral dilemmas

Former Netherlands international Tessel Middag has provided a thoughtful examination of the moral complexities facing modern footballers as Saudi Arabia's influence on the sport continues to expand. In an extensive interview with De Volkskrant journalist Dirk Jacob Nieuwboer, the 33-year-old midfielder shared personal experiences from her career across Europe and reflections on the sport's growing ties to oil money.

The life-changing Saudi offer she declined

Middag revealed she received a contract offer from Saudi Arabia several years ago that would have paid her approximately €20,000 per month, a staggering sum in women's football where salaries remain significantly lower than in the men's game. Having played for clubs including Ajax, Manchester City, West Ham United and Fiorentina during her career, she described this figure as "truly life-changing money" that could have allowed her to purchase property in Amsterdam's expensive housing market.

The Dutch international was candid about the financial temptation, stating "I have never earned anywhere near that in my career" yet firm in her conviction about declining. Her decision reflects growing ethical concerns about Saudi Arabia's human rights record and the country's increasing influence in global football. Middag emphasized that players maintain agency in these situations, telling De Volkskrant "you can refuse, you always have a choice," a perspective that challenges narratives portraying such moves as inevitable for players.

Ethical concerns about playing in Saudi Arabia

Middag expressed particular concern about the recent transfer of Spain international Esther González to Saudi club Al-Qadsiah, given the player's personal circumstances and Saudi laws. González, a World Cup winner who left NWSL side Gotham FC for the move, is in a same-sex relationship and has a child with her partner, a situation that exists in direct conflict with Saudi Arabia's criminalization of homosexuality.

"What I have more trouble with is that González is taking this step while she still had a contract with Gotham FC, a top club in the US," Middag said, noting the player's established position at an elite club. She questioned the prioritization of financial gain over personal safety and principles, adding "she chooses to go to a country where gays can be arrested because they are gay. And all just for more money."

The midfielder acknowledged some progress in women's rights in Saudi Arabia but stressed fundamental inequalities persist, stating "they still do not have the same rights as men, and homosexual relationships are punishable by prison sentences." Her comments highlight the difficult balance between career advancement and personal values that players must handle.

Evolving perspective on oil money in football

Having spent two seasons at Manchester City between 2016-2018 when the club was already under Abu Dhabi ownership, Middag reflected on how her understanding of oil money's influence in football has developed. "I am more aware of the influence of oil money now," she admitted, while acknowledging the practical realities that made the move appealing at the time as one of few opportunities for women to earn a living wage from football.

This summer saw high-profile Dutch male players Tijani Reijnders and Crysencio Summerville move to Saudi clubs, continuing a trend of European stars accepting lucrative offers from the Gulf nation. While recognizing some footballing motivations behind such moves, Middag challenged the notion that elite male players lack alternatives, pointing out "these men already have millions and can earn a lot elsewhere too."

Her comments reveal a key distinction in her critique, while understanding the transformative potential of Saudi offers for women players, she questions why already wealthy male stars pursue ever-greater financial rewards at potential ethical cost. "I just don't understand why people always want more and more. Is it so bad to earn a little less?" she asked, framing this as part of football's broader moral dilemma.

Campaigning against FIFA's Aramco sponsorship

In 2024, Middag took her concerns to institutional level by co-authoring an open letter to FIFA calling for termination of its sponsorship deal with Saudi state oil company Aramco, reportedly worth €85 million annually. The campaign gathered signatures from 170 players including Netherlands star Vivianne Miedema, representing one of the most organized player-led challenges to football's relationship with fossil fuel money.

Middag framed the issue as a fundamental contradiction, arguing "football should stand for inclusion and provide an environment where people can be themselves" while Saudi laws directly oppose these principles. The campaign also highlighted climate concerns, with Middag noting Aramco's position as a major oil producer and football's growing vulnerability to climate impacts like extreme heat and unplayable pitches.

While acknowledging limited immediate impact, "FIFA didn't even respond to us", she values having advanced the conversation about football's commercial relationships. Her dual focus on human rights and climate change represents an emerging holistic critique of how football's financial interests intersect with global issues.

Football's role in sportswashing

Middag identified Saudi Arabia's football investments as part of a deliberate strategy to reshape international perceptions, stating "sport is used to improve the country's image." She described how high-profile sporting associations can redirect public attention from human rights issues, creating a situation where "when you think of Saudi Arabia, you don't think of human rights, but of football."

This analysis places particular responsibility on football's governing bodies, which Middag believes should consider ethical implications alongside commercial benefits when forming partnerships. Her critique extends beyond individual player decisions to question systemic issues in how football organizations evaluate sponsorship and investment sources.

Balancing criticism with understanding

Significantly, Middag avoids simplistic condemnation of players who accept Saudi offers, recognizing the complex realities of professional careers. She acknowledges the transformative potential of such contracts for women players and understands why footballers are attracted to opportunities that may come with ethical compromises.

Her perspective is notably self-aware, admitting personal contradictions like continuing to fly internationally despite climate concerns due to her partner living in New Zealand. "I'm a hypocrite too," she stated, framing this honesty as essential for meaningful discussion about football's moral challenges.

The growing debate in women's football

Middag's comments highlight how women's football, despite its smaller economic scale and later professional development, now faces the same ethical dilemmas that have long surrounded the men's game. The emergence of Saudi investment in women's football creates new tensions between financial growth and moral principles, with González's high-profile transfer serving as a watershed moment.

As a player with experience across multiple countries and leagues, Middag brings valuable perspective to how the women's game might handle these challenges differently than the men's sport has. Her advocacy suggests potential for women's football to develop alternative models of growth that consider ethical dimensions alongside financial ones.

Football's broader moral reckoning

Ultimately, Middag's reflections point to football's need for more nuanced conversations about money, power and responsibility in the sport. Her balanced approach, criticizing systemic issues while understanding individual compromises, offers a constructive framework for addressing these complex questions.

As Saudi investment continues expanding across both men's and women's football, Middag's voice represents an important player perspective challenging the sport to consider the wider implications of its financial relationships. While recognizing the difficulty of perfect choices, her advocacy encourages football to confront rather than ignore the moral dimensions of its global growth.