cristiano ronaldo At the start of 2024 his sensational claim doubled down that the Saudi Pro League was better League 1.
The Portuguese legend was speaking at the Globe Soccer Awards, where he was once again honoured, this time picking up the Best Middle Eastern Player 2024 gong.
Ronaldo moved to the Middle East and Saudi Arabia when he was signed Al-Nasr beginning in 2023, and inspired a mass exodus of talent from Europe to the Saudi Pro League.
As such, Ronaldo claimed earlier this year that the standard of the division is now higher than that of the French top-flight, and took the opportunity to underline that assumption on Friday night.
‘Saudi league is definitely better than Ligue 1. There is only France PSG. The rest are finished.
‘Try sprinting in 38, 39, 40 degree weather and see…’
Cristiano Ronaldo doubled down on criticism of the French top-flight on Friday evening
He added: ‘It’s difficult to be a champion in Saudi. Al-Hilal is better this year, Al-Ittihad is top of the league, but I believe we have to push hard to be champions.
“I’ve been champions everywhere (I’ve played) and I believe I’ll be champions, but I’ve won this trophy for scoring a lot of goals and assists and maintaining my level.”
Since moving to Saudi Arabia, Ronaldo’s Al-Nasr are yet to win the Saudi top flight, nearly 11 points ahead of leaders Al-Ittihad Ronaldo and co, who sit fourth.
The French league is considered one of the top five divisions in Europe, along with the Premier League, Germany’s Bundesliga, Italy’s Serie A and Spain’s La Liga.
Yet of the five, Ligue 1 is considered by many to be the weakest. Only one French team has won the Champions League or European Cup (Marseille in 1993).
By comparison the other four achieved numerous victories; Spain leads (20), followed by England (15), Italy (12) and Germany (8), Netherlands (6) and Portugal (4) followed by France in seventh place.
More to follow
