Wesley Sneijder, the former Inter Milan legend and key player in their 2010 Treble-winning season, shared his thoughts on Inter’s prospects and the development of football in Saudi Arabia during his visit to Riyadh for the Esports World Cup.
Regarding Inter’s upcoming season, Sneijder expressed optimism about their domestic campaign but was cautious about their Champions League chances. “I believe Inter will have another great season in Serie A. But the Champions League… Last season I had a different feeling, I believed in it more. This year it will be much more difficult because other teams have strengthened a lot. This season I would already be happy if Inter managed to reach the semi-finals,” he stated.
Commenting on Inter’s recent draw with Genoa, Sneijder downplayed concerns: “They drew their first Serie A match with Genoa, yes, but it’s only the first match, right? They’ve brought in some new players, I especially mention Piotr Zielinski in midfield who wasn’t there. They need time to adapt, but I’m convinced they’ll have another great season.”
When asked about Dutch players at Inter, Sneijder praised both Dumfries and De Vrij for their national team performances. However, he hinted at a possible departure for Dumfries: “Dumfries, it was said he should be sold. Yes, he’s not the absolute starter, but I think he’s an excellent full-back. You know how players can be when they don’t play: they start complaining and want to leave. De Vrij played at the Euros and I’m not sure he expected to be a first-team player for the national team. But he did very well at the Euros and will surely stay at Inter for a couple more years, maybe Dumfries this year or next year will probably leave.”
Sneijder also shared his excitement about the Esports World Cup, praising the growth of esports and the impressive facilities in Riyadh. He expressed his enthusiasm for being able to witness professional esports up close.
Regarding football in Saudi Arabia, Sneijder predicted continued growth: “It will return to Arabia (for the next Italian and Spanish Super Cups), 100%. I think there’s something different compared to the last two years when the big stars arrived and the crowd came en masse to the stadiums. Now the public is already present in the stadiums because there’s more quality in the Saudi league. If they bring more talented players in the future, they can grow massively and become one of the strongest leagues in the world.”
