Following Lionel Messi’s unveiling as Major League Soccer’s latest marquee signing, Cristiano Ronaldo managed to steal the spotlight and put a negative twist on things as Inter Miami celebrated the signing of the Argentine.
Ronaldo publicly dismissed the quality of the MLS in a recent interview. The 38-year-old reiterated his claim that the Saudi Pro League will become one of the world’s premier competitions. The league has been making significant strides in attracting top talents to the Middle East with eye-watering sums spent by Saudi clubs this summer.
Apart from Ronaldo’s move to Al-Nassr in January, the league has managed to secure the services of reigning Ballon d’Or winner Karim Benzema, who joined Al-Ittihad in June. In addition, Ronaldo’s international team-mate Rúben Neves also opted for a move to Al-Hilal, despite previous links with FC Barcelona.
However, questions about the quality of football in the Saudi Pro League arose after Al-Nassr suffered a crushing 5-0 defeat to Celta Vigo in a pre-season match on Monday, raising doubts about Ronaldo’s comments and the league’s competitiveness.
Jake Staniland | GSFN
