Real Betis defender Hector Bellerin is perhaps one of the more well-versed soccer players in the world. The Spaniard is a quality player in a solid team in one of the top European leagues. However, he also has interests in a series of other ventures as well. 



During his time with <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/premier-league-tv-schedule/">Premier League</a> club <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/teams/arsenal-tv-schedule/">Arsenal</a>, Bellerin became a significant shareholder of Forest Green Rovers. The now <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/english-league-two-tv-schedule/">League Two</a> side is <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/oxford-utd-reveals-plans-for-electric-solar-sustainable-stadium-20240214-WST-489541.html">currently</a> one of the leading teams across the continent on environmental and sustainability concerns. The defender also previously pledged to plant 3,000 trees for every Arsenal victory following the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.



Along with environmental causes, Bellerin also freely discusses politics and social issues as well. The right-back was invited to speak at the prestigious <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/hector-bellerin-right-criticize-arsenalfantv-feeding-off-clubs-failures-20180218-CMS-233524.html">Oxford Union</a> in 2021. The discussion covered a plethora of notable topics. Other high-profile celebrities such as Michael Jackson, Bill Clinton, and Diego Maradona previously made appearances with the group.



<h2>Bellerin claims soccer is becoming more ‘elitist’ ahead of 2026 World Cup</h2>



Bellerin now recently sat down to conduct a lengthy and wide-ranging interview with <a href="https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/68286028" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">BBC Sport</a>. While he was asked a series of questions, the defender made interesting comments regarding FIFA and the <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/category/world-cup-2026/">2026 World Cup</a>. Bellerin claimed that the governing body is focusing solely on money, rather than the actual fans.



“Football every day is more about margins, about can we make more money and less about the people that support it and the people that truly make football great,” Bellerin <a href="https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/68286028" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">told</a> the news outlet.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><figure class="image"><img loading="lazy" width="1200" height="670" src="https://ds-images.bolavip.com/news/image?src=https://images.worldsoccertalk.com/webp/full/WST_20240216_WST_489901_Bellerin-elitists-1200x670_b55b90bd.webp&amp;width=1200&amp;height=670" alt="" class="wp-image-489933" srcset="https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/02/Bellerin-elitists-1200x670.jpg 1200w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/02/Bellerin-elitists-300x168.jpg 300w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/02/Bellerin-elitists-768x429.jpg 768w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/02/Bellerin-elitists.jpg 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px"></figure></figure>



As far as the 2026 World Cup itself, the defender does not like how spread out the tournament will be. The competition is set to be co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico. “It is becoming every day something more elitist, in my opinion, and having it in three different countries makes it more difficult for fans to follow their nation,” continued the <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/teams/real-betis-tv-schedule-for-us-viewers/">Betis</a> star.



“We are losing a little bit of the essence of what football truly is and who are the people that actually make football, which is the people who follow us and watch us every weekend.”



“I understand that football, like every single industry, needs to modernize itself to be able to follow changes in society, but sometimes it can’t go that far.”



<h2>Average fans will find travel costly at the upcoming tournament</h2>



Bellerin certainly has a point about the sheer distance between the host cities of the upcoming World Cup. Traveling from Vancouver to Miami, both host areas of the tournament, would be over 3,000 total miles one way. This is the same distance as London is from Baghdad.



The lengthy distance does not, however, mean that larger countries such as the United States cannot host a World Cup. Nevertheless, central fixtures in the later knockout rounds could lower overall costs for fans.



The current round of 16 fixtures are in Vancouver, Mexico City, New Jersey and several places in between. The average fan of a team potentially wanting to travel all over these areas could not afford to make the trips.



Money, however, as Bellerin alluded to in the interview, certainly motivates FIFA’s final decisions. This was evident in the organization moving the entire tournament’s schedule to accommodate Qatar in 2022.



PHOTOS: IMAGO.

Bellerin says sprawling 2026 World Cup will be hard on fans

Real Betis defender Hector Bellerin has claimed that soccer is becoming more elitist as the 2026 World Cup will be held in three countries.

<div><figure class="image"></figure></div>
After a busy transfer window, Arsenal’s summer departures are next in Mikel Arteta’s plan.
So far, <a href="https:\/\/worldsoccertalk.com/teams/arsenal-tv-schedule/">the Gunners</a> did well to bring in quality players in significant positions. Undoubtedly, center-forward Gabriel Jesus is the most important acquisition this summer. However, they also bought other reinforcements across the pitch. For example, attacking midfielder Fabio Vieira, American goalkeeper Matt Turner, and winger Marquinhos all now call the Emirates home. Plus,&nbsp;<a href="https:\/\/worldsoccertalk.com/teams/manchester-city-tv-schedule/">Manchester City’s</a> <a href="https:\/\/twitter.com/FabrizioRomano/status/1548201264261079040" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Oleksandr Zinchenko</a> looks set to be the north London club’s next signing. Manchester City and Arsenal reached a deal. Now, all that remains is personal terms for the Ukrainian to move to North London.
Clearly, Arsenal is not done buying players. However, the priority now is to offload quite a few fringe players.
<h3>Arsenal’s summer departures</h3>
With the turn of the season, previously loaned players return to Arsenal under contract. That includes six players that are excess to requirements in Mikel Arteta’s plans. Hector Bellerin, Ainsley Maitland-Niles, Pablo Mari, Reiss Nelson, Alex Runarsson, and Lucas Torreira are all most likely entering their final days as Arsenal players.
Along with this sextet, Bernd Leno, Nuno Tavares, and Nicolas Pepe could also be on the move this summer.&nbsp;That brings the total of potential sales to nine players.&nbsp;Although most of these players fail to collect huge transfer fees, selling them all helps the club in three different ways.&nbsp;Firstly, the transfer fees. However big or small this is, it is funding. In selling these players, Arteta and technical director Edu have more at their disposal in the transfer market this summer.
Secondly, player wages in the club fall quite drastically is the aforementioned nine players depart.&nbsp;Currently, the collective nine make a total of about $812,000 per week. Selling these players saves Arsenal somewhere in the range of This means that selling these players could essentially save the club around $42 million annually in wages.
<h5>Fitting in the system</h5>
These nine players do not fit Arteta’s plans with the team. Selling them also frees up space for new recruits.&nbsp;After a campaign without European play, Arsenal return to the Europa League for the 2022/23 season. This means that the club requires a bigger squad. After all, more matches means more tired legs. If Arsenal sells all nine of these players this summer, Arteta requires a few more pieces to fill out the depth necessities of the squad.
Nevertheless, some of the possible departures need not replacement. Currently, the Gunners have five goalkeepers in the senior team. Selling Leno and Runarsson does not affect the squad. Turner arrived for direct competition to current No. 1, Aaron Ramsdale.&nbsp;In a similar situation, selling (or loaning) Bellerin and Mari would also not necessarily mean new recruits would be needed in these particular positions.
Arteta and Edu are off to a good start in bringing more talent to the team. But, Arsenal’s summer departures is just as important.&nbsp;The manager has a clear set of attributes that he wants in his players. Arsenal fans hope that he can grab a few more quality players before the start of the upcoming season.
PHOTO: James Williamson – AMA/Getty Images

After locking in a number of key arrivals, Mikel Arteta now faces alleviating the squad with Arsenal's potential summer departures.

ALL POSTS TAGGED "Hector Bellerin"

FIFA

Bellerin says sprawling 2026 World Cup will be hard on fans

Arsenal

Signings secured, Arsenal's focus turns to summer departures