Cristiano Ronaldo says he will never play in Europe again (Europa Press via Getty)
Cristiano Ronaldo claims the Saudi Pro League is better than Major League Soccer following Lionel Messi’s move to Inter Miami and says he will never play in Europe again.
Ronaldo made the surprise switch to Al-Nassr last December after his contract with Manchester United was terminated.
Several high-profile players have followed in Ronaldo’s footsteps this summer with Karim Benzema, N’Golo Kante, Roberto Firmino and former Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard among those who have made the move to Saudi Arabia.
Messi, meanwhile, opted for a different path as he was unveiled as Inter Miami’s new signing on Sunday evening after the Argentine World Cup winner opted to leave Paris Saint-Germain on a free transfer earlier this summer.
Speaking after Al-Nassr were beaten 5-0 by Celta Vigo in a pre-season friendly on Monday evening, Ronaldo categorically ruled out a return to European football and believes several leagues have dropped in quality.
‘No, that door is completely closed,’ Ronaldo told Portuguese media when asked about a potential return to a European club.
Lionel Messi was unveiled as Inter Miami’s star man on Sunday (Miami Herald via ZUMA Press Wire)
‘I’m already 38-and-a-half years old and it’s not worth it.
‘In my way of seeing football, I think Europe has lost a lot of quality. The only league that for me has a lot of quality and is at a higher level than all the others is the Premier League.
‘The Spanish league does not have that great quality. The Portuguese league is a good league, but it is not a top, top league. The German league I think has also lost a lot. I’m sure I won’t play in Europe again. I want to play in Saudi Arabia.
Asked about a possible move to MLS, Ronaldo replied: ‘I think the Saudi league is much better than the United States. My team is Al-Nassr.’
Ronaldo, 38, also believes he has been the catalyst for several other players to make the move from Europe to Saudi Arabia this year.
‘100 per cent. It’s a fact,’ Ronaldo said.
‘It was going to take a year, but it was six months. I was wrong for six months.
‘But I knew this was going to happen because in the Italian league, when I went there, it was also dead and then rejuvenated.
‘Where Cristiano goes, it generates greater interest and I knew it was going to be like that. I’m sure that next season more stars will go there [to Saudi Arabia].’
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Ronaldo has also ruled out a return to European football.
