“Soccer in Portugal is Much Better” – Portuguese League Boss Fires Back at Cristiano Ronaldo After Huge Saudi League Claim

Cristiano Ronaldo is one of the few names in the soccer world, that is quite known and renowned. His testaments and comments usually reverberate and make headlines. The Portuguese talisman recently raised eyebrows and shocked his own nation when he made an audacious claim regarding the quality of soccer leagues. Ronaldo stated that due to a high number of experienced and quality players in the Saudi Pro League, they are much superior to the Portuguese leagues. With fans and experts left intrigued by his statement, Portugal’s response was apt and to the point. The Portuguese Professional Football League (LPFP) evaluated Ronaldo’s comments and promoted his opinion on the topic.

In this article, we examine the varied perspectives of Cristiano Ronaldo and the senior Portuguese official on this contentious debate.

President of LPFP defends Portuguese league amid criticism from Cristiano Ronaldo

Cristiano Ronaldo sparked a controversy when he questioned the standard of Portuguese football in comparison to the Saudi leagues. The 5x Ballon d’Or winner claimed that the presence of more seasoned players in the Saudi leagues increased their level of competition. Pedro Proenca, the president of the LPFP, quickly defended his country’s soccer prowess.

As reported by the Record, Proenca was speaking to press ahead of the ‘Thinking Football’ conference and summit. He made his stance clear on the fact that football in Portugal is much better.

“I think we recognize that soccer in Portugal is much better. Today, within the LPFP, its real issues are being discussed, so it’s always with that objective in mind that we conclude a day like this,” Proenca said.

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Proenca emphasized the importance of fostering a positive atmosphere around football, with a lot of room for improvement. He said, “I won’t talk about pettiness, I’ll always talk about positive soccer and what it brings in a positive dimension. Don’t count me out. There’s a lot of room for improvement, of course, but we have much better soccer than yesterday. These are growing pains and we’re working on it.”

Rather than engaging in a war of words or negativity, Proenca chose to focus on the positive aspects of Portuguese football’s growth and development.

Ronaldo’s criticism against the Portuguese league

Speaking to press officials ahead of Portugal’s EURO Qualifier 1-0 victory against Slovakia, Ronaldo said that he believes the Saudi Arabian league is better than the Portuguese league. He cited the number of experienced players in the Saudi league as one of the reasons for his belief. However, his comments have been met with mixed reactions. His statements reverberated across social media platforms and sports news outlets, igniting debates among fans, pundits, and fellow professionals alike.

With a career that has seen him shine in top European leagues and international competitions, Ronaldo’s perspective carried significant weight. His comments, in essence, could be seen as a call to raise the bar even higher for Portuguese football.

Pedro Proenca’s resolute defense of Portuguese football underscores the nation’s enduring pride and commitment to excellence. As the debate continues, one thing remains certain: the passion and love for the beautiful game in Portugal will continue to propel its footballing journey forward.

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Portugal will return to action once again when they host Luxembourg on Monday, September 11 at Estadio Algarve. With Ronaldo suspended for the match, they’ll be hoping to continue their winning streak in the EURO Qualifiers.