Cristiano Ronaldo confirms Saudi stay, says league must grow

Cristiano Ronaldo has confirmed he’ll keep in Saudi Arabia with Al Nassr subsequent season, however stated that the Saudi Pro League (SPL) wants to enhance to change into one of many world’s high leagues.

Ronaldo, 38, scored 14 objectives in 16 video games for Riyadh-based Al Nassr following his January transfer after having his Manchester United contract was cancelled by mutual consent final November.

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The former Real Madrid and Juventus ahead could possibly be joined in Saudi Arabia by former Real team-mate Karim Benzema, who sources have advised ESPN will be part of newly-crowned champions Al Ittihad, whereas ESPN reported in April that Lionel Messi has a suggestion to hitch Al Hilal when he leaves Paris Saint-Germain this summer time.

But regardless of saying he has loved his temporary stint in Saudi Arabia, Ronaldo says that areas corresponding to refereeing and VAR want to enhance.

“The league is very good,” Ronaldo stated in an interview with the SPL. “But I think we have many, many opportunities to still grow. The league is competitive. We have very good teams, very good Arab players, but they need to improve a little bit more the infrastructure.

“Even the referees, the VAR system, ought to be slightly faster. I believe different small issues they should enhance.

“But I am happy here, I want to continue here, I will continue here. And in my opinion if they continue to do the work that they want to do here, for the next five years, I think the Saudi league can be a top five league in the world.”

With Benzema, Messi and different high-profile gamers linked with strikes to Saudi Arabia, Ronaldo stated such big-name arrivals will speed up the method of bettering the league

“If they are coming, big players and big names, young players, ‘old players,’ they are very welcome because if that happens, the league will improve a little bit,” he stated.

Ronaldo has completed his first season at Al Nassr with out silverware resulting from Al Ittihad successful the SPL and native rivals Al Hilal lifting the King Cup.

And the Portugal worldwide admits that he anticipated to win some honours this season following his transfer to Al Nassr.

“Well, my expectation was a little bit different,” he stated. “To be honest I expected to win something this year, but it is not always the way we think or the way we want, sometimes we need passion, consistency, and persistence to achieve the best things.

“So, I nonetheless consider that subsequent 12 months we’ll enhance lots, allow us to say within the final 5 or 6 months, the group has improved lots, even the league, all of the groups improved.

“It takes time sometimes, but if you believe and you think it is your goal, I think everything is possible. I expected to win something this year, but we didn’t, but next year I am really positive and confident that things will change, and we go in a better way. So, let us believe that and work on that.”

Ronaldo, in the meantime, stated that adjusting the tradition within the Middle East has been a problem

“One example is in Europe we train more in the morning, but here we train in the afternoon, or evening and in Ramadan we train at 10 at night — so this is so strange,” he stated.

“But as I tell you these situations are part of an experience, memories. I like to live these moments because you learn with these things.

“It is troublesome, however it’s nothing I’ve not seen earlier than. My expertise thus far is that Saudi followers they actually love soccer and prefer to stay the life and it’s good and I’m so glad till now.”