Cristiano Ronaldo, who plays for Al Nassr, recently commented that the Saudi Pro League “is better” than Major League Soccer (MLS).
Ronaldo also stated that he has no aspirations to play in the United States or to return to a team in Europe.
Ronaldo was speaking to the media after playing the first half of Al Nassr’s preseason match against LaLiga side Celta Vigo in his home country of Portugal. The match ended in a 5-0 loss for Al Nassr.
Ronaldo says Saudi Pro League ‘better’ than MLS
When asked about contemplating a transfer to the United States like his former adversary in Spain, Lionel Messi, who was introduced as a player for Inter Miami CF on Sunday, the Portugal star stated, “The Saudi league is better than MLS.” Messi was unveiled as a player for Inter Miami CF on Sunday.
Ronaldo, who was replaced at halftime with the score tied 0-0, said that he was the one who “opened the way” to the Saudi League, and that was the reason why “all the players are coming here now.”
Karim Benzema, Marcelo Brozovic, N’Golo Kante, and Roberto Firmino are just some of the high-profile players who have already signed contracts to play in the Saudi Pro League this summer, following in the footsteps of Cristiano Ronaldo, who was the first player to make the move.
Brozovic, who had previously played for Inter Milan and had joined Al Nassr on July 3, was seen on the field beside Ronaldo on Monday.
“Within the next year, we will see an increase in the number of elite players coming to Saudi Arabia. Ronaldo predicted that the Saudi League would surpass both the Turkish League and the Dutch League within the next year.
The 38-year-old player is about to embark on his first full season with Al Nassr after signing with the club in January. Prior to that, he endured a contentious split with Manchester United after his second tenure with the club.
Ronaldo, who has scored more goals for Real Madrid than any other player in the club’s history, recently stated that he will no longer compete professionally in Europe and that he believes the quality of play in the region has deteriorated in recent years.
Ronaldo has stated that he is one hundred percent certain that he will not return to any European team. “I am 38 years old. And European football as a whole has seen a significant drop in overall quality.
The only competition that can be considered legitimate and is still successful is the Premier League. They are light years ahead of the competition in every other league.
Rafa Benitez, formerly of Valencia and Liverpool, took command of his first game as head coach of Celta Vigo on Sunday. After finishing 13th in LaLiga the previous season, the Spanish club appointed Benitez in June.
On Thursday, Al Nassr will play their second friendly in Portugal, this time against Benfica, the reigning champions of the Portuguese league.
Ronaldo stated that the plan for today was for him to play for a total of 45 minutes. “I could play anywhere between sixty and seventy minutes against Benfica. It is preferable to fine-tune the machine on a step-by-step basis in order to achieve the optimal form.