"What a stupid league", "Shame on them" - Fans slam Saudi Pro League for 'humiliating' Cristiano Ronaldo in social media post

Fans have blasted the Saudi Pro League (SPL) on X after they posted a video announcing Cristiano Ronaldo's return for the upcoming 2024-25 season. Many supporters accused the SPL of disrespecting and mocking Ronaldo as the video included clips of the Portugal ace crying.

Cristiano Ronaldo had an exceptional 2023-24 campaign for Al-Nassr as he scored 44 goals and provided 13 assists in 45 appearances across all competitions. He also scored 35 goals in the SPL, breaking the all-time goal record and winning the Golden Boot in the process.

Unfortunately, Ronaldo's efforts went in vain as Al-Nassr failed to win any trophies. They conceded the SPL title to rivals Al-Hilal, before losing to the latter on penalties in the King's Cup of Champions final. This loss notably left Ronaldo in tears last season - which the SPL's X account used in the opening of their video.

They posted:

"Cristiano Ronaldo is back. #RoshnSaudiLeague is back. Ready?"

The video opens with shots of Cristiano Ronaldo crying on the bench, as well as lying on the ground with his hands covering his face. It then switches to a more positive note, conveying his achievements and numbers from last season.

However, fans were furious with the video. One fan posted:

"Why are you using a clip of him crying???? What a stupid league, hopefully he will leave you."

Another fan tweeted:

"Cristiano has given this league the global status & In return they humiliate him in front of the world. Very disappointed in this league & organisation as a whole. Shame on them."

Other reactions can be seen below:

"Ronaldo’s biggest mistake wasn’t leaving real madrid. It was making your league relevant," one fan commented.

"Ronaldo’s biggest mistake is working in Saudi and making their nothing league something to the world," another added.

"Is this how to welcome the Goat back to the #RoshnSaudiLeague for a new season with a tears on his eyes," one fan posted.

"Ronaldo please do it and leave this league," another chimed in.

"Why are you using a clip of him crying???? Bad league. There is no pre-professionalism. A league mired in corruption," one fan claimed.

"Ronaldo is bigger than your league. Respect him and stop the corruption and favoritism towards the blue team. Nobody will care about your league once he leaves.." one fan warned.

"Cristiano has given this league the global status & In return they humiliate him in front of the world. Very disappointed in this league & organisation as a whole. Shame on them," another wrote.

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"Now, it is normal to play in the Saudi league" - When Cristiano Ronaldo defended his decision to join Al-Nassr

Cristiano Ronaldo launched a strong defense of the Saudi Pro League in September 2023, claiming it is now normal for elite players to ply their trade in the Middle East.

Ronaldo shocked millions of fans when he opted to leave football in Europe behind for SPL outfit Al-Nassr in January 2023. He penned a two-and-a-half-year deal with the Knights of Najd and is currently the world's highest-paid athlete, earning £173 million per year.

Some fans and pundits criticized the 39-year-old for joining the SPL. But he remained indifferent to this and said (via ARAB NEWS):

“Criticizing something is normal, and what league doesn’t get criticized? It’s common to have problems and controversies anywhere, including Saudi Arabia, Portugal and the current situation in Spain.”

“Everyone thought that I was so crazy about this move. But after all, it is not so crazy anymore. Now, it is normal to play in the Saudi league. As a player in Al-Nassr I have been playing there for eight months and I feel the improvement.”

He added:

“For me, it is an honor to change how people see that country and its culture. Not only that, but also the level of football is great now and that makes me very proud. I want the Saudi League to continue to evolve in the upcoming years to become a remarkable top league.”

Cristiano Ronaldo's decision to join the SPL led to a massive domino effect last summer with many top superstars like Neymar, Karim Benzema, and Sadio Mane following suit.