Ronaldo takes aim at Messi and Inter Miami: 'Saudi Arabia is better than MLS'

Tom Weber

Updated: 4 Feb 2025 07:59 CST
4 min read

Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo — © IMAGO

Cristiano Ronaldo believes that Major League Soccer is 'obviously' a worse league than the Saudi Pro League.

The Portuguese megastar has been plying his trade in the Middle East since leaving Man Utd for Al-Nassr in late 2022. Ronaldo has proved a transformative signing for the Pro League, although tangible success has so far proved elusive for him.

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In the wake of his arrival, Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF), which owns Newcastle United, took over the Pro League's four biggest sides -Al-Nassr, Al-Hilal, Al-Ahli and Al-Ittihad - and spent lavishly on signings to make the division more attractive and to raise its level.

It is certainly up for debate whether this objective has been achieved. Despite Ronaldo's advanced age - he turns 40 on Wednesday (February 5) - he has continued to score prolifically in Saudi Arabia, notching 81 goals and 19 assists in 89 appearances.

Ronaldo has on more than one occasion sought to flatter the Pro League by claiming that the level of play is higher than, for example, in France's Ligue 1 and he has now done so again by taking aim at a different competition.

'MLS is worse than Saudi Arabia'

In an interview with Edu Aguirre for La Sexta, Ronaldo fired shots at Major League Soccer and his old rival Lionel Messi, who has been playing for David Beckham's Inter Miami since the summer of 2023.

"When I made the decision to come [to the Pro League], I didn't think it was going to grow so fast, but I knew that in one or two years the league would be very top, as it is now," Ronaldo claimed.

"People don't know, they think and talk too much. I'm sorry, but it's a different reality when people talk about Saudi Arabia and when they talk about the United States.

"Is MLS a worse league? Obviously, but because it's Saudi Arabia, it's looked down upon. But I know that people don't know what they're talking about."

When quizzed about the recent Ballon d'Or controversy involving Vinicius Jr at his former club Real Madrid, Ronaldo expressed bitterness that he only won this prestigious individual award five times compared to Messi's eight.

“There is no credibility, Vinicius should be the Ballon d'Or winner," the striker thundered. "I have felt it many times and I felt angry. Over time I understood it, these are battles that you cannot win.”