Cristiano Ronaldo has predicted that the Saudi Arabia league will be among the top four leagues in World Football within the next five years if they carry on along their current path.
The 38-year-old joined Saudi Pro League side Al-Nassr in December after being released by Manchester United, having done an unauthorised interview with Piers Morgan in which he criticised his teammates, Erik ten Hag and the club itself.
He has gone on to register nine goals in eight games, as well as adding two assists in his brief stint in the middle east.
And, after joining up with the Portugal National team for their upcoming fixtures against Liechtenstein and Luxembourg, Ronaldo has claimed that he has been left pleasantly surprised by the quality that the Saudi top flight has on show.
“Saudi’s is a very competitive league”, he explained. “It’s not Premier League, I’m not going to lie, but it’s a league that left me positively surprised”
He even went as far as to suggest that there could be some rapid improvement to the standard of football on offer.
Meanwhile, CR7 was also quizzed on his Manchester United exit, and admitted that it was a poor time in his career.
“Manchester United? When we are at the top of the mountain, we often don’t see what’s below. I went through a bad phase of my career, I have no problems admitting that. But life moves on”, he told the media.
“I understood who are real friends in that difficult moment”, Ronaldo cryptically added.
Portugal are gearing up for their first games under new coach Roberto Martinez amid speculation that Ronaldo may be removed as National team captain, after being left on the bench for the final two World Cup games in Qatar under Fernando Santos.
