In the mixed zone after Al Nassr’s heavy defeat (0-5) against Celta Vigo on Monday evening, Cristiano Ronaldo discussed several topics.
Al Nassr continued their preparation on Monday with a friendly match against Celta Vigo, a club from La Liga. The game ended in a rout for the Saudi Arabian team, who were swept aside by their opponents with a scoreline of 0-5. Despite being in the starting lineup, Cristiano Ronaldo did not reach his usual level of performance. At the end of the match, he still took the time to stop in the mixed zone and answer questions from the numerous journalists present.
After accusing the referee of ruining the game with a red card, the Portuguese forward mentioned a possible return to Europe. However, CR7, who is still performing at the age of 38, has no intention of making a grand comeback to the old continent. He took the opportunity to assess certain European leagues and also compared the Saudi Pro League to the MLS, where his eternal rival Lionel Messi now plays.
“Returning to Europe? No, that door is completely closed. I’m already 38 and a half years old, and it’s not worth it. From my perspective on football, I think Europe has lost a lot of quality. The only league that, in my opinion, has a lot of quality and is at a higher level than all the others, is the Premier League. The Spanish league is no longer as good as before. The Portuguese league is a good league, but not a top-level league. I think the German league has also declined significantly. I’m sure I will never play in Europe again. I want to play in Saudi Arabia. The United States? No, not either. I believe the Saudi Arabian league is much better than the American league,” he declared, as reported by Footmercato.
While the last statement may stir up controversy, it’s hard to argue against CR7, considering the amazing recruitment Saudi Arabia has done this summer. The local league has already managed to attract huge stars like Karim Benzema, N’Golo Kanté, Roberto Firmino, and Édouard Mendy, among others. And many more are still expected to come.
“The Saudi Arabian league is going to be very strong: they have opened the ‘Pandora’s box,’ as I have always said, and in three years, there will be many great players. This league will be spectacular. Look, the Italian league, which was ‘dead’ when I went there, became young again. I knew that the interest in the Arab League would be the same, and next year, even more players will arrive. The team is strengthening well, the Saudi Arabian League is more competitive, and the other teams have also reinforced well. It will be an enjoyable league to follow, you’ll see…” Ronaldo added.
