“They have many things to improve” - Cristiano Ronaldo calls out ‘bad habits’ in Saudi Pro League after huge investments
Cristiano Ronaldo has spoken out concerning the issues the Saudi Pro League is facing. The five-time Ballon d'Or winner admitted that the division still has many things to improve on but backs it to make the necessary adjustments to make it better.
Ronaldo's move to Al-Nassr marked a major milestone in Saudi Arabian football. The division has risen tremendously since the attacker's arrival, with a growing interest from fans and a massive influx of top players, mostly from Europe.
Since the Portuguese joined Al-Nassr, the likes of Neymar Jr, Sadio Mane, Ngolo Kante, Karim Benzema and Jordan Henderson have also followed suit to join various clubs in the Kingdom.
However, that isn't to say that all is well with the division. The Saudi Pro League has been littered with controversy, and many top players are already thinking of leaving. Henderson has already moved to Ajax, while Karim Benzema and former Celtic star Jota are also being linked with a return to Europe.
At the recent Globe Soccer awards ceremony, where he bagged three accolades for his brilliant exploits in 2023, Ronaldo emphasised the need for the Saudi league to improve.
"There are many factors which apply to improve the league. As I said before, they have many things to improve," the five-time Ballon d'Or winner was quoted as saying by SportBible.
"But I think with powerful people behind to help change a little bit the culture of football, the bad habits - I think we're going to reach a point where the people in Saudi will be proud."
"The investment there is huge. So why not believe it? In Saudi, even in Dubai, things change, and the world has changed, so they deserve opportunities," he added.
Cristiano Ronaldo's contract with Al-Nassr runs out in the summer of 2025.
How has Cristiano Ronaldo fared at Al-Nassr
The five-time Ballon d'Or winner joined Al-Nassr after unceremoniously leaving Manchester United midway through the 2022-23 campaign. He bagged 14 goals for the Saudi giants across competitions in the second half of the season.
Cristiano Ronaldo then led Al-Nassr to success in the Arab Club Champions Cup in the summer, finishing as the top scorer with six goals in as many games.
This season, the 38-year-old has bagged 24 competitive goals and 11 assists in 25 appearances across all fronts. He finished 2023 as the top goalscorer with 54 goals for club and country.