“I don’t like that” - Cristiano Ronaldo makes bold claim on more foreign players joining Saudi Pro League

Cristiano Ronaldo has warned that too many foreign players will not be good for the Saudi Pro League, as it will affect the game time of Saudi players. The Portuguese was one of the first global names to make the move to the Middle East, joining Al-Nassr in December 2022.

Multiple modern superstars have since followed his example. Saudi Arabia now boasts the likes of Karim Benzema, Sadio Mane and N'Golo Kante in their roster.

Recent reports have also suggested that Vinicius Junior is a priority target for clubs from the Middle East. However, CR7 reckons that too many foreign players will hurt the local talents.

Speaking recently, as cited by Al Nassr Zone on X, Cristiano Ronaldo was full of praise for Saudi Arabian footballers.

“The more foreign players there are, the less chance there will be for the Saudi player, and I don't like that because the Arab players are good,” said Ronaldo.

Saudi Arabia made a change to their foreign player registration rules last year. Clubs were previously allowed to sign up to eight foreign players, but that number was changed to 10 in January 2024.

However, eight of those players must be born after 2003, with the league trying to attract younger talents instead of ageing superstars. The ploy has worked so far, with Aston Villa's Jhon Duran making the move to Al-Nassr in the winter to team up with Cristiano Ronaldo.

---

Is Cristiano Ronaldo the highest-paid athlete in the world?

Cristiano Ronaldo

A recent report from Sportico (via ESPN) has stated that Cristiano Ronaldo earned a whopping $260m in 2024, making him the highest-paid athlete in the world for the second year running. CR7 is on a blockbuster contract with Al-Nassr and reportedly pocketed $215m from his wages last year.

The Portuguese superstar also earned $45m in endorsements and is head and shoulders above the rest of the big names on the list. In fact, he pocketed around $100m more than Golden State Warriors' Stephen Curry, who came second in the highest earners list.

The American basketball player earned $153.8m, while British boxer Tyson Fury was the third-highest-paid athlete with an annual income of $147m in 2024. Ronaldo's archnemesis Lionel Messi, who currently plies his trade for Inter Miami, earned $135m last year and is fourth in the list. LeBron James, the only 40-year-old still active in the NBA, completed the top five by registering an annual income of $133.2m.