In a recent Twitter interview, Cristiano Ronaldo, the Portuguese professional footballer and captain of Al Nassr, a Saudi Professional League club, shared his belief that his move to Saudi Arabia would pave the way for other players to do the same.
After leaving Manchester United for Al-Nassr on a £175 million-a-year deal, Ronaldo noted that Saudi Pro League clubs were actively searching for football’s biggest talents. For instance, Karim Benzema, the reigning Ballon d’Or winner, joined Al-Ittihad from Real Madrid, and N’Golo Kante is on the verge of signing a £172m deal with the same club since Ronaldo’s arrival.
While Lionel Messi was long linked with a move to Al-Hilal, he eventually joined Inter Miami. Nevertheless, Ronaldo remains confident that the Saudi Professional League will continue to attract top players in the future.
“I knew that by coming to Saudi Arabia, I would be opening doors for other players,” Ronaldo stated. “And I wasn’t wrong. I’m certain that in a couple of years, this league will be one of the most important in the world. Karim has already left, and I’m 1000 per cent sure that many more players will follow suit.”
Al-Hilal, which finished third last season, is also rumoured to be interested in Jordi Alba.
