In March football’s most recognisable superstar Cristiano Ronaldo made the bold claim that Saudi’s Por League could become one of the most competitive leagues in the world after joining Al-Nassr following his acrimonious split from Manchester United before the World Cup. At first glance the statement seems like an exercise in saving face after the quality of Saudi’s domestic league had been questioned, but on recent evidence, the statement may not be as ludicrous as it appears. The 38-year-old shocked the sporting world when he signed a £175 million-a-year contract to join up with the Saudi club, but he has been a precursor to several other names considering a move to the Pro League. Despite Lionel Messi opting to join Major League Soccer’s Inter Miami, Ever Banega, Ryad Boudebouz, N’Golo Kante and even Ronaldo’s former Real Madrid teammate Karim Benzema all now play their football in the Middle East. More players are being lured in by the massive amounts of money being pumped into the Saudi game in a bid to make their domestic competition one of the most attractive in the world. Money being used to tempt players over in the twilight of their careers is not a new approach, but the current push to land stars known the world over is a recent development and one which has enjoyed a lot of success. But will that trend continue? And is there reason to believe that Ronaldo’s audacious statement could come true?
On a basic level it is easy to say the league is competitive in that the gap between first and second in the 2022/23 campaign was only five points, and that the gap between third and fifth only four. Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr just fell short of lifting the trophy as Al-Ittihad were crowned champions in a closely fought title race. However, in terms of its current quality compared to other domestic leagues around the world, there is no debate, the Saudi Pro League has got a lot of catching up to do. The Premier League continues to be the crown jewel for domestic football in the world while the German Bundesliga, LaLiga, Ligue 1 and Serie A all follow closely behind. Then there’s South and North America to consider with the Primeira Liga, Liga MX and in particular MLS which has soared in popularity in the last five years, largely down to a similar phenomenon of increased investment. While the Pro League has been improving as can be seen by the recent success of their national side, the European leagues possess a greater quantity of quality footballers. To add to that, Ronaldo might be one of the most famous footballers in the history of the sport but his best years are behind him, and the same goes for other footballers who have made the jump. Their purpose in the infancy of this project isn’t necessarily to add the same standard of football to the league as they were capable of in their prime, but instead to raise the profile of the league through marketing and status so that it becomes an attractive enough product to lure over players who want to play elite-level football naturally. It’s the same strategy MLS have implemented to great effect, with average fan attendance higher than it has ever been and the standard of play significantly improving since David Beckham made the move across the pond. If the Saudis seek to replicate the success of that model then they’re going about it the right way.
Onlookers from Europe’s top leagues would like to ignore it, but Ronaldo’s arrival to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is clearly having the desired impact. There are more eyes on the Saudi product than ever before and there is a lot of steam in this train. The Pro League has always been a league for players looking to end their careers with one final stint for a large payout but it has never been able to deliver the quality to match their lofty ambitions. However, the league is now bolstered by a government-backed plan that seeks to develop the Saudi game’s reputation through this massive financial push for the sort of talent that puts the country on the map as a serious non-European alternative. For world class players like Ronaldo, Messi, Benzema, and Kante that is an appealing prospect. If they went elsewhere in Europe there are few suitors who would be willing or even capable of paying the wages they’d want as they bring their careers to a close, whereas the Saudis have no such issue. It’s no wonder Ronaldo has already confirmed he is staying put and that rumours of more former Madrid teammates joining him in the Pro League continue to circulate. Luke Modric, Angel Di Maria and Eden Hazard are just few names in that conversation in recent weeks according to this list of new betting sites and with the finance at the Saudis’ disposal it wouldn’t be all that surprising to see at least one of them playing their football in the Middle East next season.
If the question is whether this will be enough in itself to bridge the gap with Europe, then the answer is no. This process, much like it did with MLS, will likely take decades instead of just a few years. Even with the current flurry of big name signings, it is only likely to accelerate that process by a few years rather than match the time frame the Saudis would prefer it to. The talent is spread too thin at the moment to offer a captivating product and garner enough significant interest, and questions over the moral ambiguity of the state are likely to still play a factor for some players. However, if this current activity is a true indicator of how things will go from now on, then they might close the gap in a bit less time than expected. They clearly mean business and once caught up to the MLS and second tier European leagues, the contracts available to players will almost certainly see them surpass them. So Ronaldo might be overestimating the speed in which the Pro League can catch up, but it has the potential to get to that level eventually, and almost certainly will.
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