Cristiano Ronaldo confirmed that he "will not return to play in Europe," asserting that "the Saudi Pro League is better than Major League Soccer," which his rival Lionel Messi chose to start a new chapter in his career. Ronaldo, who joined Al Nassr at the end of last year on a two-and-a-half-year contract after leaving Manchester United, stated that he "has paved the way for other top players to move to Saudi clubs, in addition to the desire of others to relocate to the Kingdom."
The 38-year-old Portugal captain spoke after Al Nassr's 5-0 defeat in a friendly against Celta Vigo on Monday night, saying that "most league competitions in Europe are experiencing a decline in quality." ESPN quoted Ronaldo as saying: "I am 100 percent not going back to any European team. I am 38 years old." He added, "European football has lost a lot of its efficiency. The only competition that is still good is the Premier League, which stands out compared to other leagues."
He continued: "Now all the players are coming here. Within a year, more top players will arrive in Saudi Arabia." Prominent players have followed Ronaldo's lead in moving to Saudi Arabia, including Ballon d'Or winner Karim Benzema, who came from Real Madrid, and N'Golo Kanté from Chelsea, both of whom joined Al Ittihad, the league champions.
