Global Soccer League Rankings: MLS Scrapes Into Top 10 While Saudi Pro League Absent From List- Reports

It’s no secret that Roshn Saudi League is on a mission. Big-name arrivals, lucrative contracts—the Gulf nation has gone the extra mile in pursuit of success to dominate the global domestic scene. However, despite its ambitious endeavors, fresh reports reveal a stark reality. The Saudi Pro League has failed to even enter the top 10 global soccer league rankings for March 2024, with the MLS successfully making the cut. 

Courtesy of Opta Analyst, the Gulf country’s domestic tournament ranked 26th, graced by the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema, Neymar Jr., and many other big European names, has fallen short of making its mark among other leagues. While Europe’s top five leagues—the English Premier League (1st), Spain’s La Liga (2nd), Italy’s Serie A (3rd), Germany’s Bundesliga (4th), and France’s Ligue 1 (5th) — were expected to hold their ground on the list, the USA’s Major League Soccer has surprisingly claimed 10th place.

Nevertheless, despite having Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez, and Sergio Busquets, the league falls behind the Belgian Pro League (6th), Portuguese Primeira Liga (7th), Danish Superligaen (8th), and Brazilian Serie A (9th). Indeed, it is quite a shocking ranking that certainly stirs debate within the soccer fraternity. Notably, this isn’t the first time Opta Analyst has dealt a blow to the Saudi Pro League. 

Earlier, they released a list of the best soccer teams in the world. Not only did five MLS clubs outrank Al Ittihad in the top 300, but it also highlighted that the MLS, as a whole, is superior to the SPL, despite Al Nassr and Al Hilal dominating in the top 100. Nevertheless, coming back, this soccer league rankings have backfired on many, especially Cristiano Ronaldo.

MLS outpacing the Saudi Pro League has backfired on Cristiano Ronaldo

“The Saudi league is better than MLS.” These words from Cristiano Ronaldo indicated a radical shift in the domestic landscape. The Portuguese superstar has always remained the number one contender to support the Middle Eastern competition. However, with the emergence of the top 10 global soccer league rankings, CR7 would be forced to eat his own words. It doesn’t imply just the MLS.

Just a few months ago, during the 2023 Globe Soccer Awards, he said, “I think the Saudi League is not worse than the French League.” Unfortunately, this again calls for Ronaldo to eat humble pie. Certainly, the MLS and the Ligue 1 that the Portuguese skipper called out have outdone the Saudi Pro League, who didn’t even make the top 20. However, the 39-year-old’s optimism towards the Gulf-based league cannot be completely termed as wrong.

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The top 10 best league list cannot deny how much SPL is doing. After all, there is a reason why top players still play there, and many names are linked. They seem to be on the right path. However, time is of the essence, as fervently and patiently working might turn the tables in the future.