Cristiano Ronaldo has undoubtedly changed the landscape of the Saudi Pro League. His massive popularity has led multiple media outlets to believe the player holds the reins of his club overshadowing manager Luis Castro. However, the Al Nassr boss has been quick when it comes to defending his captain, with Castro claiming that the Portuguese icon is “not that person”.
Cristiano Ronaldo has surely been the driving force behind the Saudi Pro League’s success in recent months. The player’s arrival in the Middle Eastern league last winter opened the floodgates, as notable names from all over Europe made their way to the league during the Summer transfer window.
Luis Castro defends Cristiano Ronaldo from unwarranted criticism
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Al Nassr boss Luis Castro took no baseless criticism against his side in a recent press conference. When the manager was asked if Cristiano was overshadowing him at the club, Castro was quick to shut down the talks. The Al Nassr boss stated that he’s not the type of manager who loses his locker room easily. He also defended Ronaldo, claiming the player plays his role very well.
🚨Luis Castro:
Does Cristiano Ronaldo want to assume a greater leadership position in Al Nassr?
“Cristiano is not that person. I'm not even that person who loses leadership of the locker room, that's not even a discussion. Cristiano plays the role of a leader very well, and I… pic.twitter.com/dNOuHBF02b
— CristianoXtra (@CristianoXtra_) December 19, 2023
The Al Nassr boss stated, “Cristiano is not that person. I’m not even that person who loses leadership of the locker room, that’s not even a discussion. Cristiano plays the role of a leader very well, and I also want to play the role of a coach very well.”
Cristiano Ronaldo has done a great job leading Al Nassr from the front this season. The player has been the team’s top scorer this season, bagging sixteen goals to his name. Apart from his side, the player has had a massive impact on the league with notable stars across Europe following the Portuguese star to the Middle Eastern league.
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READ MORE: Cristiano Ronaldo Left Behind As Lionel Messi Wins His 7th ‘Goal 50’ Men’s Award 2023
Cristiano looking to take the Saudi Pro League to the next level
While many critics questioned Cristiano Ronaldo following his decision to move to Al Nassr in 2022, the Portuguese talisman seems to have proven everyone wrong. The player has had a massive impact on the league’s statistics. On average, following Cristiano’s arrival, Al Nassr has sold 20% more tickets per home game, while there has been a 15% increase during the side’s away games.
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A list of big names such as Karim Benzema, Neymar Jr, and N’Golo Kante, amongst others have also joined the league with the Saudi FA hoping to make the league one of the top 10 highest revenue-generating sports leagues in the world.
WATCH THIS STORY: Ten Times Cristiano Ronaldo Scored Four Goals in a Game