When Manchester City meets Real Madrid in one of the semi-finals, viewers will witness a battle of footballing titans, the world’s greatest. In contrast, the first leg of the Asian Champions League final on April 29th featured the 101st and 249th-ranked sides in the world, Al-Hilal of Saudi Arabia and Urawa Red Diamonds of Japan.

The gap between European and Asian football is large, but Japan and Saudi Arabia are working hard to bridge it. Both countries are already the crème of Asia (which includes much of the Middle East for football purposes); their clubs are among the best in the area. Al-Hilal are the most successful Asian Champions League team, having won the competition four times, including last year. It has been won twice by the Urawa Reds. The national teams qualify for World Cups on a regular basis and have earned notable victories, most recently in Qatar. In the group stage, Saudi Arabia stunned Argentina, the eventual winners. Japan defeated Germany and Spain, both heavyweights. However, the two countries are choosing starkly different paths to success.

The growth approach known as “Japan’s Way” by the country’s football organization is multifaceted and rigorous.Drawing on European experiences, it focuses on four pillars: the national team, youth football, coach quality, and grassroots football. Clubs are obligated to operate junior academies, and there are even guidelines for the type of player that should be produced. Japanese players must now have “high-level technique,” “one-touch passing skills,” and attacking zeal, in addition to their hard effort. The national team, known as the Samurai Blue, has reached the World Cup’s final 16 teams four times. The goal of the association is for the team to win by 2050. In fact, this goal has even been used as a basis for one of the country’s most popular anime series, BLUELOCK.

The Saudi approach is more direct. The biggest news fresh off Saudi is Al-Hilal offering World Cup Champion Lionel Messi. It, too, has pledged to invest in young football in order to break into the world’s top 20 by 2034 (it is currently ranked 54th). However, the Gulf state sees football as a tool for increasing its influence in the region and around the world. Sportswashing is what critics term the initiative. Regardless matter the motivation, billions of dollars are being poured into the game. For example, the Saudi sovereign wealth fund purchased Newcastle United in 2021. The English side has thrived under the new ownership. Saudi football may gain as well. Newcastle United traveled to Saudi Arabia during the mid-season break last year to play Al Hilal.

Saudi Arabia is also investing money in other ways to bring European football closer to home. Barcelona defeated Real Madrid in the Spanish Super Cup final on January 16th at the King Fahd International Stadium in Riyadh. Two days later, the Italian Super Cup was held at the same location. Al-Nassr, a Saudi club, is said to pay Cristiano Ronaldo, a Portuguese superstar, roughly $200 million per year—the biggest earnings in football. And the spending spree isn’t just for athletes. Michael Oliver, an English referee, was flown to Riyadh on April 18th to preside at a Saudi Pro League match.

The distinct approaches of the countries are obvious on the pitch. The Saudi league is more wealthy and has more prominent players. Around 25% of its players are foreigners, compared to 15% in Japan’s J1 League. According to transfermarkt.com, a website that analyzes the market value of players, the typical player in the Saudi league is worth roughly $700,000, while his Japanese counterpart is worth $500,000. Teams that spend more money perform better. According to Opta statistics, the four best teams in Asia are all from Saudi Arabia.

However, this type of financial generosity can stifle long-term development. Foreign players in Saudi Arabia are typically fading stars. Mr Ronaldo, for example, is 38 years old. The Saudi league is more like a retirement home than a high school. Because of the riches on offer by local clubs, few Saudis travel abroad to compete in harder European competitions. Indeed, every member of the World Cup-winning team played professionally at home. In comparison, Japan’s World Cup squad of 26 players included only four players from its domestic league.

Japan’s football is far more focused on export, and Europe is a grateful consumer. Kaoru Mitoma, a winger at Brighton & Hove Albion, has lit up the Premier League this season. Takefusa Kubo of Real Sociedad and Daichi Kamada of Eintracht Frankfurt have had similar results in Spain and Germany. They are all technically brilliant players who have been shaped to fit the football association’s vision. They have helped Japan climb to 20th place in the international rankings.

Many more are on the way. As a result of the drive to instill a profound football culture, there are presently 60 professional clubs throughout the four divisions of the country’s league system, with many more amateur clubs below them. This results in a football pyramid the size of many European countries. When combined with Japan’s 126 million inhabitants, it creates a massive talent pool. Japan hopes to establish a virtuous cycle by joining the European football supply chain. As more Japanese players achieve success abroad, the league will gain popularity. This should increase resources for the domestic game, attract better coaches, and encourage more people to participate. It is the most certain way to improve quality, but it is a long-term strategy.