Cristiano Ronaldo took a dig at eternal rival Lionel Messi by saying that Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr is “much better” than the MLS, the Mirror reported.
Messi officially signed with Inter Miami until 2025 after his departure from Paris St-Germain (PSG) following the conclusion of the 2022-23 season.
“The Saudi league is much better than the United States. My decision to go to Saudi was 100% crucial for clubs to bring in new top players. It’s a fact,” Ronaldo declared while speaking to media persons after the first half of Al-Nassr’s 5-0 friendly defeat to Spanish side Celta Vigo.
“It was going to take a year, but it was six months. I was wrong for six months. But I knew this was going to happen because in the Italian league when I went there, it was also dead and then rejuvenated.
“Where Cristiano goes, it generates greater interest and I knew it was going to be like that. I’m sure that next season more stars will go there [to Saudi Arabia].”
Ronaldo, 38, also said that he is 100% sure he won’t return to any European club. He added that some of Europe’s leagues will be overtaken by the Saudi division.
“In one year, more and more top players will come to Saudi. In a year the Saudi league will overtake the Turkish league and Dutch league,” said the five-time Ballon d’Or winner.
“European football has lost a lot of quality. The only valid one and still doing good is the (English) Premier League. They’re way ahead of all the other leagues,” he also said.
Ronaldo signed for Saudi club Al Nassr in a deal believed to be worth more than 200 million euros in December last year. The Portuguese penned a contract which will take him to June 2025.