“We will have big surprises from now on” - Al-Nassr chief who helped sign Cristiano Ronaldo makes confident Saudi Pro League claim
Al-Nassr general director Marcelo Salazar, one of the key figures behind Cristiano Ronaldo's move to Saudi Arabia, expects more from the Saudi Pro League.
The Saudi Pro League has been on the rise ever since Ronaldo joined Al-Nassr a year ago. This rise has been compared to how China tried to uplift their Chinese Super League by spending big on foreign players.
Salazar, however, believes there's one big difference between China's short-lived footballing project compared to that of Saudi Arabia. The Al-Nassr general director believes that the Middle East country understands where to invest its large sums of money, which will only get better with time.
Marcelo Salazar was quoted as saying the following (via Pro Sport):
"No, that's a major difference. There football was built mostly from real estate money and at some point it all came crashing down. There is no risk here. The differences are obvious. We invest in infrastructure, in organizing big competitions and in players. The growth is phased and we will have big surprises from now on too (laughs)."
Marcelo Salazar played a crucial role in bringing Cristiano Ronaldo to Al-Nassr on a free transfer after his contract was mutually terminated by Manchester United. Prior to being their Sporting Director, Salazar worked as an assistant manager at the Riyadh-based outfit.
Cristiano Ronaldo's arrival in Saudi Arabia was monumental in increasing the popularity of the Saudi Pro League. Teams in the league have since attracted a number of global superstars.
These include 2022 Ballon d'Or winner Karim Benzema, former Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson and 2018 World Cup winner N'Golo Kante among others.
How has Cristiano Ronaldo performed for Al-Nassr this season?
Cristiano Ronaldo continues to be a flag bearer for football in Saudi Arabia, both on and off the pitch. The five-time Ballon d'Or winner is currently enjoying an excellent season for Al-Nassr as they look to catch league leaders Al-Hilal.
As things stand, Ronaldo has contributed 24 goals and 11 assists in 25 matches across all competitions. This includes a tally of 20 goals and nine assists from just 18 outings in the league.
Cristiano Ronaldo is currently the leading goalscorer in the Saudi Pro League. He is, however, just three goals ahead of Al-Hilal and Serbia star Aleksandar Mitrovic.
It is worth mentioning that the Saudi Pro League is currently on a winter break and will return to action in the first week of February.