Is Ligue 1 Still a Top 5 League in Europe as Cristiano Ronaldo Makes Saudi Pro League ‘Better Than the French League’ Claim?

Cristiano Ronaldo‘s latest statement has created quite a stir amongst soccer fans. The Al Nassr skipper was full of praise for the Saudi Pro League during his recent appearance at the Globe Soccer Awards. CR7 while praising SPL, compared the league with French league Ligue 1 labeling the Middle Eastern league as better one. With fans around the world reacting to his statement, many are debating if the French league deserves its place amongst the top five leagues in the world.

Cristiano is not the only player who has commented on Ligue 1’s quality in recent months. Ex-PSG star Lionel Messi also expressed his thoughts on the league following his transfer to PSG in 2021. However, a lot has changed since La Pulga’s departure from the club.

Does Ligue 1 deserve a top spot?

For a long time soccer fans have referred to the league as the ‘Farmer’s League’. The term is often used to describe leagues that see one team dominate the entire competition. PSG are the unchallenged kings of the league with the Parisians winning the tournament nine times during the last twelve years.

Unlike the other clubs in the league, PSG has an unrivaled financial firepower that has seen them sign some of the best players in the world over the past decade. While teams such as Olympique de Marseille, Lyon, and AS Monaco have done a decent job standing in the upper echleon of the league, it would be mistake to call either of the teams as credible contendors for the title.

In comparison leagues such as Serie A, Premeier League and La Liga has been serious competition amongst the top teams for the title in recent years. While one could surely call the league inferior to the other big leagues present in Europe, the sheer quality present in the league still helps it stand amongst the top five leagues in the world.

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Messi makes his French opinion

La Pulga made a surprising switch to PSG back in 2021. While fans expected the Argentine superstar to end his career at Barcelona, it just wasn’t in the books. Messi following his move to the French capital opened on his first reaction on the quality present in the league.

The ex-Barcelona star claimed, “I have really not been here long. I have played very few matches, so it is difficult to make conclusions. But, at first glance, this is a league that is a lot more physical than La Liga. Here, the teams seem more powerful and the matches are very intense, with little space. The majority of players are very strong.”

Do you agree with Cristiano Ronaldo’s opinion on Ligue 1? Let us know in the comments below.

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