The kind of response Lionel Messi received during his presentation with Inter Miami was eye-opening. Fans flocked into the stadium to welcome their talisman in hopes the club will revive their form. At the same time, Al-Nassr’s Cristiano Ronaldo remarked on how the Saudi League was better than the MLS. Those comments came after the team’s 5-0 defeat to Celta Vigo in a friendly match.

When players hurry to the Middle East to earn astronomical wages, Barcelona legend Hristo Stoichkov explained why Messi moved to the USA instead. Ronaldo’s comment briefly stole the spotlight from Messi, who was marking the start of another illustrious chapter in his career. However, Stoichkov’s comment put the Argentine back in the conversation.

Barcelona legend describes Lionel Messi moving to the MLS

According to MSCFootball, Stoichkov stated, “We didn’t play for money, we played for love. That shows greatness. I didn’t care about knowing my salary or bonuses, it was more important for me to play and for people to respect me. Agents take care of other things. Messi comes to compete and play and he doesn’t care about money because he loves football.” When one compares the contracts of the two soccer players, there is a radical difference between the two. 

Ronaldo signed a contract for around $75 million per year on the pitch, which could go up to a staggering $200 million with commercial deals. All in all, he receives close to $280 million per year. On the other hand, Messi has a slight twist to his contract. He will earn $50 to $60 million per year. Apart from that, he receives a cut from new subscribers who tune into Apple TV to watch the MLS. Likewise, Adidas will give him a percentage of revenue for jersey sales.

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The two players are entering the twilight years of their careers after dominating the world stage for nearly two decades. But as Messi moved to the MLS, Ronaldo had a controversial take on the league’s standing. 

Cristiano Ronaldo sparks outrage over MLS league remark

Just a day after Messi was presented in front of a packed stadium, Ronaldo stole the spotlight. He commented on the stature of both leagues and explained how the Saudi League was better than the MLS. Ronaldo stated, “The Saudi league is better than MLS,” much to the surprise of many fans. 

Both leagues seem to have their fair share of players with world-class quality. Many players are entering these leagues and want to try their luck outside European football. Thus, the league’s ability to attract players keeps improving every season. Players in their prime are now moving to find greener pastures.

Is Ronaldo right about his Saudi League comments? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.

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