“Cristiano (Ronaldo) Was Not Upset”- Ruben Neves Discloses Al Nassr Star’s Reaction to Al Hilal Move

One would imagine that Al Nassr would dominate the Saudi Pro League after the arrival of sheer quality players. The acquisition of Cristiano Ronaldo, however, does not seem to guarantee them the league title due to the well-distributed stars among a few other teams. And with top talents like Ronaldo’s national teammate Ruben Neves going to rival Al Hilal, the Portuguese captain was not disappointed, according to a recent revelation by Neves.

Last season, it was Al Ittihad who ran away with the title, and now it is Al Hilal who is dominating, being 7 points clear of Al Nassr. However, Cristiano Ronaldo chose to maintain a professional approach, according to Neves. In a recent interview with Ojogo, Neves, when asked if CR7 was upset with him going to Al Hilal, said, “No, of course. He knows that the tournament has developed greatly. I am very happy in Al Hilal, and Cristiano is very happy in Al Nasr. We are fighting for possible titles, so it was a really good competition,” he said while revealing his ambitions. 

Ronaldo has been getting good support from players like Anderson Talisca on the attacking front. Meanwhile, Neves may not have been influenced by Ronaldo’s presence in Al Nassr and was approached directly by Al Hilal. Arriving from an impressive stint with Wolverhampton Wanderers in the defensive midfield, the star was acquired for a deal worth $60 million. His role in the English club’s promotion to the Premier League, along with consistent performances, brought him directly to the Middle East.

Contrarily, Cristiano Ronaldo has been involved in influencing a few players. Players like defender Alex Telles, confessed to being influenced by CR7 to join the Knights of Najd. Reports also suggested that the 5x Ballon d’Or winner was helping Al Nassr land Casemiro from Manchester United. Moreover, Ronaldo did not make an instant impact on the league and club, but a very intense one.

Neves reveals the support from Cristiano Ronaldo, amid his move to a rival club

Cristiano Ronaldo has been an unwavering ambassador of the Saudi League. Even Neymar confessed his influence on the players’ exodus. Neves, on the other hand, revealed that Ronaldo gave him a warm welcome. The Al Hilal midfielder stated, “When I signed with Al Hilal, Cristiano was in the national team, and he was one of the first people to talk to me because when he saw the news, he talked to me about Saudi Arabia, which showed me what my coming here would be like,” revealing that he was made familiar with the league.

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The 26-year-old forms a major part of Jorge Jesus’ squad in the midfield. Starting 19 of the 21 league games, Neves has provided six assists and a goal, apart from controlling the game from the center. Al Hilal has aced both the attack and defense, maintaining a goal difference of 54 in contrast to Al Nassr’s 34, with more goals conceded.

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