- Ronaldo states that he has no plans to return to European clubs in the future.
- He believes that the Premier League is the only league with higher quality than others.
- Ronaldo signed a contract with Saudi club Al Nassr in December last year.
Cristiano Ronaldo, the renowned footballer, made a surprising claim stating that the Saudi Professional League surpasses the Major League Soccer (MLS) in the United States. Ronaldo’s statement came after his rival Lionel Messi joined the MLS side Inter Miami. He also mentioned that he has no intention of returning to European leagues in the future.
According to ESPN, Ronaldo stated, “Saudi League is better than the MLS. I’m 100% sure I won’t return to any European club. I opened the way to the Saudi League, and now all the players are coming here.” He emphasized that the Premier League is the only league that holds a higher level of quality than others.
Ronaldo signed a deal with Saudi club Al Nassr in December last year, reportedly worth over 200 million euros, which will keep him at the club until June 2025. Despite scoring 14 goals in 16 games this season, his team fell short of winning the Saudi Pro League (SPL), finishing second behind Al Ittihad.
Ronaldo’s move to Saudi Arabia followed his benching for Portugal and a falling out with Manchester United in 2022. United terminated his contract while Ronaldo was representing Portugal in the FIFA World Cup, following his explosive TV interview where he expressed feeling “betrayed” by the club and showed no respect for coach Erik ten Hag.
While Ronaldo expressed enjoyment in Saudi Arabia, he also mentioned areas for improvement, such as infrastructure, Arab players, referees, and the VAR system. Despite these suggestions, Ronaldo expressed his happiness and intention to continue playing in the Saudi Professional League.
