SPORT: Why Cristiano Ronaldo is not responsible for Saudi Arabia League rush

The debate between Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi is not ending anytime soon after Ronaldo’s latest statement following his side’s 5-0 loss to Celta Vigo on Monday evening.

The 38-year-old appears to have taken a dig at rival Lionel Messi, who was unveiled as a new Inter Miami player on Sunday. Ronaldo confirmed that he has closed the door on a potential return to Europe and that only the English Premier League has quality.

“European football has lost a lot of quality, the only league that for me has a lot of quality and is at a higher level than all the others is the Premier League.”

“The Spanish League does not have that great quality. The Portuguese League is a good league, but it is not a top, top league. The German league, I think, has also lost a lot. I’m sure I won’t play in Europe again. I want to play in Saudi Arabia.” Ronaldo said.

The Portuguese legend also claimed the Italian Serie A was dead before he arrived. He joined Juventus in 2018 from Real Madrid for €100 million.

“When I joined Juventus, Serie A was dead, and then after I signed… it was revived. Wherever Cristiano goes, he generates higher interest.”

Ronado joined Al Nassr in January 2023 after his contract with Manchester United was terminated following his criticism of the club and manager, Ten Hag,in an explosive interview with Piers Morgan.

“I don’t know what’s going on, but since Sir Alex Ferguson left, I saw no evolution in the club; the progress was zero.”

In his first season at the club, he scored 14 goals as A Nassr finished second on the table with 67 points, five points behind league winners Al Ittihad with 72 points.

The Saudi Arabia League rush

Saudi League teams have been at the center of transfer stories since it opened. The sides have attracted big name players from Europe, including Karim Benzema, Ngolo Kante, Roberto Firminho, Edouard Mendy, and others.

Coaches are not left out in the spending spree, with Steven Gerrard and Slaven Bilic among the coaches to have managed teams in Europe.

When asked about the MLS, Ronaldo said, “‘I think the Saudi League is much better than the United States. My team is Al-Nassr.”

He also made claims that he was responsible for the influx of players into the league.

“I opened the way to the Saudi League, and now all the players are coming here.”

Money, not Ronaldo, responsible for the Saudi rush

It’s interesting to note that the players moving to the league have signed huge contracts, significantly higher than what they earned in Europe.

Saudi Arabia’s spending spree is not the first in football. In 2011, there was Anzhi Makhachkala, who signed top stars like Samuel Eto’o and Roberto Carlos. The Chinese League went to attract stars like Oscar, Carlos Tevez, Hulk, and others to the League in 2016.

Former Napoli and Chelsea defender, Kalidou Koulibally, after completing his move to Al Hilal, revealed that money was one of the factors.

“I can’t deny it. I will be able to help my whole family to live well, from my parents to my cousins, and support the activities of my Capitaine du Coeur association in Senegal. We started building a clinic in my parents’ village. I have many projects to help young people.”

On his part, Ruben Neves, upon completing his move to Al-Hilal, confirmed his family was a motivation for the move.

“To give my family the life I always dreamed of for them, this was, for me, the main reason that made me have no doubts about accepting this proposal. I have three children and a wife. Taking care of them is my biggest trophy.”

The Saudi Pro League will parade lots of stars when the league resumes in August.