“Football here is the same as in Europe” – Cristiano Ronaldo’s teammate Anderson Talisca dismisses talk of players joining SPL just for money
Anderson Talisca, the 29-year-old teammate of Cristiano Ronaldo at Al Nassr, has come out to defend the Saudi Pro League, calling the notion of players coming to SPL for money a misconception. The Middle Eastern clubs have been signing European talent left, right and centre this summer, and Talisca believes the strategy has sporting reasons behind it.
Cristiano Ronaldo's direct club rivals, Al Hilal, recently announced the unexpected signing of former Barcelona maestro Neymar. As reported by transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, Al Hilal had to part ways with a fee close to €100m to secure their man. Neymar's astronomical contract would see him earn up to $400m in the upcoming two seasons.
Yet, Talisca has complete faith in the league he is stationed, deeming Saudi Pro League to be the best in Asia. As transcripted through a tweet by Al Nassr's official X (formerly known as Twitter) handle, Talisca's statement read as follows,
"It is not true. The financial goals for many players are not important. Football here is the same as in Europe, and vice versa, it has become more difficult here. You know, there are many Asian clubs, and the competition is also stronger than European clubs."
The Brazillian midfielder's sentiments are in sharp contrast to what ex-Manchester United forward Odion Ighalo had to say about football in the Middle East. In an interview with OmaSportsTV, the Nigerian seems to be confirming the running narrative about the Saudi Pro League, stating,
"I've played for passion all my life, now it's for money.. Is Cristiano Ronaldo still playing out of passion? Ronaldo has earned 100 times more than I have in my entire life and yet he went to Saudi Arabia. Did he do that out of passion? It's for money, bro."
While the debate continues, Saudi clubs continue to sign high-profile names from Europe in a bid to further the status of the league.
Cristiano Ronaldo's move to SPL has caused a major ripple effect
After being ostracized from the first-team setup at Manchester United in late 2022, Cristiano Ronaldo revealed that he'd be leaving the Red Devils in favour of Saudi outfit Al Nassr.
Since his arrival, a plethora of European hot-shots have followed suit to join clubs in the Middle East. Last season's SPL winners Al-Ittihad have recruited the likes of Karim Benzema, N'Golo Kante, Fabinho and Jota to bolster their chances of retaining the title.
While Cristiano Ronaldo's club got a significant upgrade through the acquisitions of Marcelo Brozovic, Alex Telles and former Liverpool starlet Sadio Mane, Al Hilal's spending spree comfortably outshines Al Nassr's transfer business.
To everyone's surprise, the Blue Waves have managed to convince Neymar to join their project, adding the Brazillian to their already-stacked roster of superstars, including Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, Ruben Neves, Kalidou Koulibaly, Malcom and goalkeeper Yassine Bounou.