Reijnders vs Depay: Two Very Different Choices in Football

Sjoerd Mossou’s column in the Dutch media Algemeen Dagblad about Tijjani Reijnders and Memphis Depay offers an interesting contrast between two very different career choices — but his comparison is also more complicated than it initially appears.

Reijnders’ move to Saudi Arabia

Mossou portrays Reijnders’ move to Saudi Arabia as a cynical decision, driven primarily by money. He acknowledges that Reijnders is entitled to make that choice: it is his life, his career and his money. Yet the tone is unmistakably dismissive. The suggestion is that, by moving to Al-Qadsiah, Reijnders has effectively allowed his sporting ambitions to come to an early end.

Then comes Memphis Depay, presented almost as the romantic counterexample. While Reijnders chooses Saudi Arabia, Depay chooses to remain at Corinthians, despite reportedly giving up a significant amount of money. Mossou clearly wants the reader to see a moral and emotional difference between the two decisions.

And there is certainly something compelling about Depay’s story.

Whatever one thinks of him as a footballer, his impact at Corinthians has been remarkable. He has embraced Brazilian culture, learned Portuguese, connected with supporters and established himself as an important figure at one of Brazil’s biggest clubs. His popularity has gone far beyond what many European observers expected when he moved to Brazil.

That deserves recognition.

Mossou is also right to challenge the rather dismissive attitude that surrounded Depay’s move to Brazil. In the Netherlands, playing in Brazil was initially treated by some as a step down. Yet Depay has managed to become much more than simply another European player enjoying the final years of his career abroad. He has genuinely connected with the club and its supporters.

However, I think Mossou makes the comparison a little too black and white.

Reijnders choosing Saudi Arabia does not automatically mean that he has abandoned his sporting ambitions. Footballers have different priorities at different stages of their careers. Financial security, family, lifestyle and personal goals can be just as important as trophies or playing in Europe.

And there is another important point: Reijnders is not responsible for the political system of Saudi Arabia simply because he chooses to play there. You can question the Saudi sports strategy, the enormous salaries involved or the wider political context without turning the player’s decision into a moral judgment about his character.

Mossou himself admits that Reijnders should be free to make his own choice. That is perhaps the strongest argument in favour of simply leaving the decision there.

Mossou’s admiration for Depay

At the same time, Mossou’s admiration for Depay is understandable. There is something genuinely special about a footballer becoming a beloved figure in another country, not merely because of his performances but because he embraces the culture around him. Depay appears to have achieved exactly that at Corinthians. And believe me, he is a big star here in Brazil (yes, I live in Brazil)…

The most interesting conclusion, therefore, may not be that Reijnders made the wrong choice and Depay made the right one.

It is that football allows players to define success in completely different ways.

For Reijnders, success may mean extraordinary financial security at a relatively young age. For Depay, it may mean becoming a cult hero at one of the world’s great football clubs.

Neither choice needs to be romanticised — and neither needs to be condemned.

Mossou’s column is at its best when it celebrates what Depay has achieved in Brazil. It is less convincing when it uses that achievement to cast Reijnders’ decision in a negative light.

Ultimately, both players are making choices about their own lives. And perhaps that is the one thing football fans should remember before judging either of them.

Who will Xavi call for the next games? I will put my money on Reijnders…

Memphis signed this week and also gave the assist for the 1-0 win over Rosario from Argentina, that´s how important he still is, here in Brazil.