Former Man City star disagrees with Cristiano Ronaldo over quality of Saudi Pro League

Rajarshi has been part of Khel Now since 2022, and he covers world football.

Published at :July 21, 2025 at 1:59 PM

Modified at :July 21, 2025 at 1:59 PM

Cristiano Ronaldo Al Nassr Saudi Pro League

(Courtesy : Getty)

The Al-Nassr forward said SPL is better than Ligue 1.

Cristiano Ronaldo’s comments that the Saudi Pro League is one of the “top five” leagues in world football have been disputed by Riyad Mahrez.

The Al-Ahli player was chatting with L’Equipe, a French publication. The newspaper asked Mahrez what he thought of the Portuguese striker Ronaldo’s remarks that, ”the Saudi Pro League is better than Ligue 1″ and “in France, they only have PSG.”

The former Manchester City and Leicester winger was much more tactful, stating that he believes the SPL is growing but that the Premier League, Bundesliga, Serie A, Ligue 1, and LaLiga are still the top five football leagues in the world. He also called Ronaldo and his teammates “pioneers” for switching amid the league’s 2023 hiring spree.

Riyad Mahrez disagrees with Cristiano Ronaldo’s major claim about SPL

Mahrez told L’Equipe when asked if he agreed with Ronaldo’s ‘top five’ claim:

“No. I think the five big European leagues are ahead, and then we can start to compete with the other leagues.”

“We’re not too far off, I think. After that, the goal isn’t to be the best league in the world right now. We’re looking at the long term.”

“Those like me who have arrived are here at the beginning of this adventure, we’re a bit like pioneers. We’re helping them make this league stronger.

And frankly, over my two seasons, I’ve felt progress in the teams, the coaches, the tactics and the organisation. They’re trying to get there, and I think they’ll get there. They’re putting in the effort and they really want it. “

For the upcoming 2025–2026 season, Mahrez and Ronaldo will both keep raising the bar for their respective clubs in the SPL. Ronaldo will continue to play for Al-Nassr after signing a new contract with them that will see him remain at the club until 2027.

Which Saudi Pro League club does Riyad Mahrez play for?

Mahrez currently plays for Al-Ahli.

Is SPL better than Ligue 1?

There have been big arguments regarding the league’s relevance, but Ligue 1 remains one of the top competitive leagues.

Which club does Cristiano Ronaldo play for?

Ronaldo currently plays for Saudi Pro League’s Al-Nassr.

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Rajarshi Shukla

After earning a bachelor's degree in mass media, Rajarshi began his career as a sports writer in 2019, driven by his passion for sports journalism. He has been working in the field for over six years. A devoted fan of Lionel Messi and Barcelona, Rajarshi has been involved in sports since childhood. Before turning his focus to journalism, he even represented his college at the state level. Along with covering football, he enjoys playing the game, watching movies, and experimenting with new recipes in his spare time, as cooking is one of his favorite hobbies.