There was a time when Britain's star players were poached by continental clubs that could afford to pay for imported talent. Now it's the other way round. The great Italians Gianfranco Zola, Gianluca Vialli, and Fabrizio Ravanelli were all lured to England by serious money and the prospect of playing in a highly competitive league. Two hundred and twenty-six players drawn from Eastern European and other countries in the European Union now play in the Premiership and the three lower divisions. The Spanish soccer league, also gorged with money from new television contracts, has purchased so much foreign talent that the players' union is threatening to strike.
Local players complain that they are getting no time on the pitch.
First division Deportivo la Coruna fields players from eight different countries including Cameroon, Serbia, Brazil and Morocco. Stadiums, some of which can seat as many as 115,000 screaming fans, are full. When big clubs like Real Madrid and Barcelona clash, hundreds camp outside overnight hoping for tickets, and scalpers can name their price. Six nights a week games are televised, leaving restaurants and bars empty until the final whistle. But big-money soccer in powerhouses like England and Spain has caused damage in countries where the sport is not so rich.