The living legend of world football and Al Nassr forward Cristiano Ronaldo continues to spark debate with his claims that the Saudi Pro League is on par with, or even stronger than, France's prestigious Ligue 1. Former Al Khaleej head coach Gustavo Poyet has weighed in on this hot topic, offering a rebuttal to the Portuguese star's comments.
Poyet believes there is a massive gap in quality between the top clubs and the rest in Saudi football. Stay tuned as we detail the experienced coach's response to Ronaldo, his interesting comparisons with the French league, and the hidden truths of the past Saudi season!
“Ronaldo only meant the top six”
In an interview with Get French Football News, Gustavo Poyet emphasized that when Cristiano Ronaldo spoke about the Saudi league, he was referring only to the top 4-6 teams, not the entire tournament. Because the Portuguese star plays for a powerhouse club with superior budget and squad depth, he may not feel the true reality of the teams at the bottom of the table.
The coach's firm opinion: “I think the seven clubs at the bottom of the Saudi league table would not be able to compete at all in France's Ligue 1. They would be relegated long before reaching the middle of the pack in that tournament,” Gustavo Poyet stated.
The huge gap between Bordeaux and Al Khaleej
To prove his point, the experienced expert compared two different periods and two different teams from his career. He contrasted the renowned French team he once managed with the Saudi club:
Clubs being compared | Gustavo Poyet's objective assessment |
Bordeaux (France) in 2018 | The coach notes, while maintaining respect for all, that the strength and professional level of the Bordeaux club at that time were far superior to the current Al Khaleej team. |
Current Al Khaleej (Saudi Arabia) | This lower-ranked Saudi team cannot compete with mid-table clubs in France, let alone the giants. The coach is convinced that none of the bottom seven teams in Saudi Arabia last season could have beaten his Bordeaux side. |
Image obligations and 'easy' wins
Gustavo Poyet understands that Ronaldo's complimentary statement is natural from an economic and image perspective. Since the task of raising the global profile of Saudi football falls on a star like Ronaldo, he is obligated to speak positively about the league.
“I understand Cristiano very well; he couldn't have said anything else for the prestige of Saudi football. But he seems to have forgotten the easy victories against weaker teams in the tournament while playing for a grand club,” Poyet concluded.
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