Cristiano Ronaldo did not hold back his true feelings about MLS in defense of the Saudi Pro League.
Ronaldo sat down for an exclusive interview with Spanish TV show, El Chiringuito and spoke about everything from his rivalry with Lionel Messi and his opinions of Kylian Mbappé to his time in the Saudi Pro League. After admitting he did not expect the Saudi Pro League to grow so fast, the five-time Ballon d'Or winner condemned the negative perception of the league.
“People don’t know. People talk too much and give opinions without knowing," Ronaldo said. "That’s normal. Sometimes I feel bad because the reality is completely different when people talk about Saudi Arabia and when they talk about the United States, for example.”
Of course, Ronaldo is referring to MLS, where plenty of former European stars have taken their game in the later stages of their careers. Messi, Luis Suárez, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alaba bid farewell to Europe and joined Inter Miami, while Oliver Giroud chose LAFC. Marco Reus, meanwhile, joined LA Galaxy and finally won the first league title of his career when the Western Conference side won the 2024 MLS Cup.
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Despite the number of talented stars in MLS, many of which Ronaldo battled against during his time at Real Madrid, the Portugal captain still believes it is weaker than the Saudi Pro League.
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“Of course, of course [MLS is weaker]. But because it’s Saudi Arabia, people look down on it a bit more," Ronaldo said. "But I also know that the people who talk don’t know what they’re saying. Only those who play here, only those who are in the league, know. You have to give it the credit it deserves.”
Ronaldo joined Al-Nassr in Jan. 2023, but he has yet to win the Saudi Pro League. Al Hilal currently sit atop the standings, eight points clear of Al-Nassr.
Ronaldo's contract with the club expires in June 2025, but based off his comments, he has no intentions of bringing his talents to the United States. Instead, one of the greatest of all time will continue his quest to score 1,000 career goals elsewhere.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Cristiano Ronaldo Takes Shot at MLS Over Saudi Pro League Comparisons.
