Cristiano Ronaldo stated that ‘Saudi Pro League is better than MLS’ just a day after Lionel Messi was launched by US side Inter Miami.
The Argentinian was introduced to the club’s new jersey on Sunday during a launch ceremony after it was announced earlier this summer that he would be joining the Florida-based team for contracts worth £45 million per year.
Meanwhile, Ronaldo was one of the first big names to move to Saudi Arabia, joining Al-Nassr after he left Manchester United last season in a £175m-a-year deal.
Many other players have now followed him to the Middle Eastern country, including names like Karim Benzema, N’Golo Kante, and even Steven Gerrard.
While Ronaldo recently confirmed that he will stay in Saudi Arabia next season, the five-time Ballon d’Or winner has also been linked with a return to Europe and his former club. It’s Real Madrid.
But after a 5-0 pre-season friendly against Celta Vigo on Monday, Ronaldo gave a candid and honest assessment of his future, declaring that he will not be moving to the US or back. Europe, and at the same time receive credit for this cash flow. of players heading to the Middle East.
“The Saudi league is better than the MLS,” he said, according to Fabrizio Romano.
“I am 100% sure that I will not return to any European club. I paved the way to the Saudi Arabia league and now all the players are coming here.
“I’m not going back to European football, the door is completely closed,” he added.
‘I am 38 years old, European football has also lost a lot of quality. The only league for me that has more quality and is at a higher level than all the others is the Premier League.
‘The Spanish league doesn’t have such great quality. The Portuguese league is a good league, but it’s not a top league. The German league, I think, also lost a lot. I’m sure I won’t play in Europe again. I want to play in Saudi Arabia.’
His team, Al-Nassr, narrowly won the Saudi Pro League title last season by league rivɑl Al-Ittihad but were banned by FIFA from signing new players last week, following when they failed to pay the £390,000 surcharge for former Leicester player Ahmed Musa.
Despite this, the club signed Marcelo Brozovic before the ban was implemented in early July which is also believed to have a lot to do with the transfer of Hakim Ziyech.
“In a year, more and more top players will go to Saudi Arabia,” continued the Portuguese superstar. ‘In a year, the Saudi league will overtake the Turkish league and the Dutch league.
‘The players coming in are not what the president of the European Union has said. Jota and Neves are young players.’
Son Heung-min reveɑled this week that he turned down an offer to join a team in the Saudi Pro League.
While City also rejected an £18m offer from Al-Ahli for Riyad Mahrez on Monday.
When asked if he would move to the MLS, Ronaldo added: “I think the Saudi league is much better than the US one. My team is Al-Nassr.’
‘100 percent. It’s true,” Ronaldo said. ‘It will take a year, but it’s six months. I was wrong for six months.
‘But I knew this was going to happen because in the Italian league when I got there, it was also deɑd and then rejuvenated.
“Wherever Cristiano goes, there’s more interest and I know it’s going to be like that. I’m sure next season will have many stars going there [to Saudi Arabia]’.