Portuguese Cristiano Ronaldo, captain of Al-Nassr, said that his move to the Saudi League was the right move, despite the initial criticism. He noted that the competition is on its way to growth and will witness the arrival of more international stars.
Ronaldo told the “Hekayat Waad” program on MBC1: “When Cristiano makes a decision or moves in a certain direction, the world takes notice. Players are smart, and if I come to Saudi Arabia, it’s because something important is happening.”
He added: “I won’t say I was the reason for attracting players, because I only focus on my team and my personal life, and that’s enough for me. But deep down, the players are smart, and when they see that Ronaldo has come here, it means something is good.”
Regarding his influence as a role model for the players, he said: “I can’t deny that some people view me as a role model, sometimes positively, sometimes negatively. But I believe 90% of the time that I’m a good role model.”
The Portuguese star believes he has proven his decision to move to the Saudi League right, saying, “Everyone saw that I wasn’t wrong. At first, people said I was crazy and that it would be the end of my career, but I proved them again that they were wrong. So I’m very happy with the Saudi project.”
The Don added, “The Saudi League will continue to develop, and the entire country is witnessing remarkable progress. We will see more world-class players join the competition, and the overall level will improve greatly. I am part of this journey, and I am happy about it.”
Ronaldo joined Al-Nassr in January 2023, and his contract expires at the end of the current season.
Despite achieving a number of remarkable individual records, most notably the title of the top scorer in a single season in the history of the Saudi Professional League, he has yet to win a single domestic or Asian title with the Yellow team.
