“Ronaldo Has Been Smoking”- Cristiano Ronaldo Slammed for His Audacious Saudi League Claim After Lionel Messi’s MLS Arrival

Cristiano Ronaldo, one of soccer’s all-time greats, recently made comments seemingly as a jibe at his far-famed arch-rival Lionel Messi, who chose the Major League Soccer (MLS) in the USA over the Saudi Pro League. Following a bold claim in which he kept the Saudi Pro League in the superior light as compared to Major League Soccer, a reaction has come from a former MLS star.

When asked about a potential future switch to MLS, Ronaldo stated, “The Saudi league is better than MLS.” He took pride in being the first high-profile European player to join the Saudi League, and since then, other big soccer stars like Benzema, Kante, Brozovic, and Firmino have followed suit.

Ronaldo predicted that more top players would join the Saudi League in the next year, causing it to surpass leagues like the Turkish and Dutch leagues.

Lionel Messi’s move to MLS influenced Ronaldo’s claims

Reacting to these comments, ex-MLS star Lahoud criticized Ronaldo’s claims, suggesting Lionel Messi’s move to MLS influenced them.

In an interview, Lahoud said, “When I hear that, I believe Ronaldo has been smoking too much shisha. It is a ridiculous statement to say that the Saudi League will be better than these other leagues in a year…. This comes after the presentation of Leo Messi. We never heard anything like this until now. And suddenly, after Messi talks about bringing the world of soccer to the doorstep of North America regarding World Cup ‘2026, Ronaldo says this. Saying he’s 38 and a half, stressing the and a half, this is all about Messi and his relevance. That the door to Europe has closed, plus what he said about Serie A…. After he left Juventus, he left the team in pieces.”

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Ronaldo’s claims on impacting Serie A and Juventus

The former Real Madrid and Juventus superstar issued a bold statement. He claimed, “When I joined Juventus, Serie A was dead, and then after I signed… it was revived. Wherever Cristiano goes, he generates higher interest.”

After Ronaldo joined Juventus in 2018, there was a massive increase in the number of people watching Serie A matches. Juventus also won two Serie A super cups, one in 2018/19 and the other in 2020/21.

Cristiano Ronaldo’s remarks about the Saudi Pro League and refusal to consider returning to Europe have sparked debates and discussions among football fans and pundits alike. While some see his statements as bold and confident, others view them as a response to Lionel Messi’s move to MLS. Leave a comment and let us know what you think.

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