Chelsea and Man City Bought Their Success – Why It’s Ruining Football

In a world where tradition once ruled football, money now calls the shots—and nowhere is that clearer than with Chelsea and Manchester City. With oil money and billionaire backing, these clubs transformed overnight from contenders to juggernauts. But what did the rest of football lose in the process?

Chelsea's 2003 Abramovich takeover changed everything. One summer, they were fighting for European spots; the next, they were buying out the best players from rivals and snatching titles. Fast forward to Man City’s 2008 Abu Dhabi revolution, and you see the blueprint perfected: world-class facilities, massive wages, unlimited transfers—and now a trophy cabinet to match.

To their fans, it's a dream come true. And to be fair, both clubs have built incredible footballing machines. City’s style under Guardiola is a masterclass, and Chelsea have delivered Champions League nights fans will never forget. No one’s saying the players didn’t work hard—but it’s hard to ignore the financial rocket fuel behind their rise.

Is it still sport when the outcome is decided by who spends the most?

Traditional giants like Liverpool, Arsenal, and Manchester United—clubs that built dynasties through academy development and legacy—have been forced into a spending arms race. Smaller clubs? They're left hoping for scraps or billionaire bailouts of their own. Football used to be the great equalizer. Now it’s an exclusive playground for the ultra-rich.

In chasing glory, maybe we've traded soul for silverware.

Are fans to blame too? We demand instant results. We worship big signings. We mock clubs that “haven’t won anything.” Have we normalized the very thing that’s destroying balance?

My Take

Success should be earned, not engineered. No one wants to stop ambition—but when ambition turns into financial warfare, the game starts to lose its magic. Romantic underdog stories like Leicester’s 2016 title win are now miracles, not possibilities.

Chelsea and City fans will say, “You’re just bitter.” And maybe some are. But if we don’t at least question where this is going, we’ll wake up one day and realize we’ve turned football into Formula One—glamorous, elite, and hopelessly predictable.

What do you think? Is modern football better off with mega-money dominance, or have we sold out the game we once loved? Let’s hear your thoughts 👇