Ex-Manchester United star Cristiano Ronaldo has been speaking out about the quality of the Saudi Pro League and where it ranks in comparison to other top-flights.
Cristiano Ronaldo in action for Al-Nassr.
Cristiano Ronaldo in action for Al-Nassr. (Image: Abdullah Ahmed/Getty Images)
View 2 Images
Cristiano Ronaldo has that claimed the Saudi Pro League surpasses France's Ligue 1 in quality, though the former Manchester United star's remarks have sparked controversy following a recent chat with Piers Morgan.
The iconic Portuguese superstar, 40, had an open discussion with the broadcaster, looking back on his illustrious career - and his experiences across various nations. The 40-year-old has featured in Portugal, England, Spain, Italy and is currently plying his trade in the Middle East in Saudi Arabia.
Ronaldo moved to Al-Nassr in 2022 following his second departure for United, at which time he declared he had "no respect" for then-boss Erik ten Hag during a previous interview with Morgan.
Three years later, the five-time Ballon d'Or recipient has, once more, spoken with the journalist at his residence in Riyadh - and the level of football.
Having found the net 952 times - for club and country - Ronaldo is now looking to become the first footballer in history to reach 1,000 goals before hanging up his boots. He has struck 102 goals for Al-Nassr so far, including nine this campaign, with his team currently leading the table.
Despite his impressive tally, Ronaldo has encountered criticism regarding his goal-scoring achievements and has now responded forcefully.
Cristiano Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo has praised the quality of the Premier League
View 2 Images
"It's excuse after excuse. Year after year, I keep scoring more goals. Even in a bad year, I scored 25 goals," Ronaldo said. "If I were playing in the Premier League now, for a big team, I would score the same as now.
"I just keep doing my job. I'll repeat it. They don't know what it's like to run in 40 degree heat and I still continue to say, the Saudi League is better than the Portuguese league, obviously, as well as the French League - it's only PSG (Paris Saint-Germain)."
Yet, Opta Power Rankings has shown that the Saudi Pro League sits considerably lower than both the Portuguese and French divisions - in terms of its standard. The Saudi Pro League is positioned 29th, while Ligue 1 occupies fifth place and Liga Portugal sits ninth.
Despite Ronaldo's ongoing enjoyment of his stint in Saudi Arabia, he shared the widely-held belief that the English top-flight remains football's strongest competition globally.
"The Premier League is good of course, it's the number one," the ex-United star added.
"They should count like the goals to be the top goal-scorer - the Golden Ball, -why don't they count it in the Saudi league? Why? Look how many top players we have in the league, ask the other players if the league is good.
"Don't ask me because it's easy to ask me, because I'm always at the centre; 'Cristiano say that, because he plays in Saudi'. No, no, listen I played everywhere. Everywhere.
"For me, it's easier to score in Spain than in Saudi Arabia."
Here at The Manchester Evening News, we are dedicated to bringing you the best Manchester United coverage and analysis.
Make sure you don't miss out on the latest United news by joining our free WhatsApp group. You can get all the breaking news and best analysis sent straight to your phone by clicking here to subscribe.
You can also subscribe to our free newsletter service. Click here to be sent all the day's biggest stories.
And, finally, if you would rather listen to our expert analysis then make sure to check out our Manchester is Red podcast. Our shows are available on all podcast platforms - including Spotify and Apple Podcasts - and you can also watch along on YouTube.