Cristiano Ronaldo (40, Al Nassr) once again stirred the football world. After provoking his rival Lionel Messi, this time he drew attention by evaluating the Saudi league as "harder than Spain."
According to reports on the 6th and 7th (Korea time) from foreign media such as Uzbekistan outlet Kursiv Uzbekistan and the U.K.'s Tribuna, Cristiano Ronaldo in a recent interview with Piers Morgan said, "Argentina won two World Cups without Messi. But Portugal achieved nothing without me," reviving the long-standing rivalry. He thus emphasized that he is the symbol of Portuguese football.
He went on to say in a calmer tone about his future, "The next World Cup win won't change my name. Winning the World Cup is not a dream. I want to enjoy this moment."
Immediately after, he raised his voice, "Those who criticize have never experienced the Saudi league. Even in temperatures above 40 degrees, I am still running."
Ronaldo argued, "The Saudi league should be respected. It is much stronger than the Portuguese league, and it is better than the French league. Isn't France a league with only PSG?" he said, adding, "Why are Saudi league top scorers excluded from the European 'Golden Boot' competition? If you actually come and play, everyone will know."
During his La Liga days wearing the Real Madrid jersey, he scored 450 goals in 438 matches, and he still remains among the scoring leaders at Al Nassr. However, the remark that "scoring in Saudi is harder than in Spain" sounds somewhat paradoxical to fans who remember him dominating Europe at his peak in his late 20s and early 30s.
Meanwhile, Ronaldo still retains the captaincy of the Portugal national team and is preparing for the 2026 World Cup in North and Central America. He did not hide his look that "It's not for my legend that I play for the country," and at the same time, "It's not over yet."
Even now at 40, he remains at the center of controversy. Provocations toward Messi, pride in the Saudi league, and an unending competitive spirit. Ronaldo still wants to prove he is "the standard of this era."
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