Cristiano Ronaldo, the Portuguese superstar currently playing for Al-Nassr, has reportedly offered his services to four European clubs as he expresses a desire to return to Europe. With his 40th birthday approaching next month, Ronaldo made the move to Saudi Arabia in January 2023 after parting ways with Manchester United prior to the FIFA World Cup in Qatar. According to recent reports, Ronaldo is keen on reestablishing his career in Europe, but he has faced rejection from several prominent clubs, including Chelsea, Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), Atletico Madrid, and Bayern Munich. These clubs have reportedly turned down the opportunity to sign the legendary forward, citing concerns related to his age and salary demands.
Despite these setbacks, Ronaldo has been enjoying a prolific season with Al-Nassr. He has scored 16 goals and provided three assists in just 19 appearances across all competitions this term. His performance underscores that he remains a formidable player on the pitch, even as he nears the end of his playing career. Overall, since joining Al-Nassr, Ronaldo has made 89 appearances and netted an impressive 80 goals, along with contributing 18 assists. His current contract is set to expire in June.
In a recent statement, Ronaldo stirred controversy by suggesting that the Saudi Pro League surpasses Ligue 1 in quality. Speaking at the Globe Soccer Awards, he asserted that "the Saudi Pro League is better than Ligue 1" and criticized the French league for its lack of competitiveness beyond PSG. He emphasized the challenges of competing in Saudi Arabia's extreme weather conditions, claiming that winning there requires significant effort.
Al-Nassr's performance in the league has been commendable as well; they finished second in both the 2022-23 and 2023-24 Saudi Pro League seasons and currently sit fourth in the standings with 25 points from 13 matches this season.
As Ronaldo navigates this transitional phase in his career, his aspirations to return to European football remain a focal point. While he continues to excel at Al-Nassr, the question of whether he will find a new home in Europe looms large, particularly given the high-profile rejections he has faced thus far.
Roberto De Zerbi has responded to Cristiano Ronaldo's claim that the Saudi Pro League is superior to Ligue 1. Last month, at the Globe Soccer Awards, Ronaldo stated, "Saudi Pro League is better than Ligue 1, of course. France only has PSG. The rest are finished. Try to sprint in 38, 39, 40-degree weather and see. It is difficult to become the champion in Saudi."
Al-Nassr finished second in both the 2022-23 and 2023-24 Saudi Pro League seasons and currently sits fourth this term with 25 points from 13 matches.
In response, Olympique Marseille manager De Zerbi expressed his views on Ronaldo's comments, saying, "It is a stronger league than people outside of France may think. The players and coaches are very strong, the stadiums are full, and the atmospheres are great. Maybe this league is badly promoted compared to the Premier League, Serie A, La Liga, or Bundesliga. I don't know if this is a communication or management issue."
Marseille, under De Zerbi's leadership since last summer, is currently second in Ligue 1 with 33 points, seven behind the leaders after 16 games.
blogpay
Total Comments: 0