Cristiano Ronaldo participated in the Globe Soccer Awards this Friday (19) and took the opportunity to make strong statements.
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At the awards ceremony organized by the Dubai Sports Council, in the United Arab Emirates, the Portuguese star celebrated the fact that he was the 2023 top scorer in world football at 38 years of age. He also put the Saudi Championship on a level above the French Championship.
In 2023, Cristiano Ronaldo scored 54 goals in 59 games, including appearances for Al-Nassr, from Saudi Arabia, and the Portuguese national team. There were two more goals than Mbappé, from Paris Saint-Germain, and four more than Haaland, from Manchester City.
” I like it when people doubt me and I prove it with a successful year. This year was fantastic, I was the top scorer. Imagine beating these animals, young lions, like Haaland, for example, so I’m proud. I’ll be 39 (years) soon and I’m still fine – celebrated CR7.
As a result, having played a whole year in Saudi Arabia, the Portuguese was asked about the status of the local league, reinforced with great players coming from Europe in the middle of last year, such as Benzema at Al-Ittihad, Neymar at Al-Hilal and Mané in Al-Nassr.
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Valuing the country’s teams, Cristiano Ronaldo placed the Saudi Pro League ahead of Ligue 1. France currently occupies fifth place in the UEFA club coefficient, behind England, Spain, Italy and Germany.
“To be honest, I think the Saudi Championship is no worse than the French Championship. In France, there are two or three teams with a good level. In Saudi Arabia it is more competitive.
“You can say what you want, but it’s my opinion and I played there for a year, so I know what I’m talking about. At the moment we are better than the French and we are still improving”, declared CR7, before stating that the Saudi Championship has the potential to be the third biggest in the world.
It is worth remembering that Cristiano Ronaldo was the first big name to go to Saudi Arabia, at the turn of 2022 to 2023, after a termination with Manchester United.
Cristiano’s Al-Nassr is in second place in the 2023/24 Saudi Championship, with 46 points in 19 rounds. The leader is Al-Hilal, with 53 points, undefeated in the league and currently with 20 consecutive victories this season.
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