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The five-time Balon d'Or winner has taken credit for the influx of players at the Saudi Pro League, saying the quality of the league is better than MLS.
Cristiano Ronaldo told members of the media on Monday that the Saudi Professional League is superior to the Major League Soccer (MLS).
Ronaldo, who plays for Al Nassr of the Saudi Pro League, was asked about potentially joining Lionel Messi in MLS. “No,” he replied after his team’s 5-0 defeat in a friendly against La Liga club Celta Vigo. “I think that Arabia is a much better league than the United States.”
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10:41 - 18.07.2023
STADIA Sports Kenya reveal why CAF banned Kasarani, Nyayo as renovation tender calls are floated
The two facilities in Nairobi alongside Eldoret’s Kipchoge Keino are set for a major facelift in readiness for the 2027 tournament if EAC Pamoja Bid is successful.
The legendary forward, who is the highest-paid player in the world, makes £175 million ($217.4 million) a year. According to The Athletic, the club will pay a tenth of that wage, with the rest covered by the Saudi state.
Messi signed a deal with Inter Miami through to 2025 with the option to stay till the 2026 season. He will receive around $50-60 million annually, though that includes the value of his equity in the franchise.
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17:33 - 17.07.2023
Lionel Messi mobbed by fans after Inter Miami unveiling
After being unveiled at DRV PNK Stadium on Sunday night, Lionel Messi was mobbed by Inter Miami fans as he was being transported away.
"The Saudi league is better than the MLS," he said, according to Fabrizio Romano.
"I'm 100 percent sure I won't return to any European club. I opened the way to the Saudi league and now all the players are coming here.
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15:30 - 16.07.2023
FKFPL: How McKinstry turned Gor Mahia hotshot Benson Omala into a goal scoring machine
Under McKinstry, the Gor Mahia forward has gone from an ordinary goal-getter to a record chasing machine. Here is why.
"I won't return to European football, the door is completely closed," he added.
"I'm 38 years old, also European football has lost a lot of quality. The only league that for me has a lot of quality and is at a higher level than all the others is the Premier League.
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09:29 - 17.07.2023
ATHLETICS Why Eliud Kipchoge will continue running in major marathons even after retirement
At the moment, Kipchoge is eyeing his third Olympic title and fifth Berlin Marathon title.
"The Spanish league does not have that great quality. The Portuguese league is a good league, but it is not a top, top league. The German league I think has also lost a lot. I'm sure I won't play in Europe again. I want to play in Saudi Arabia."
MLS commissioner Don Garber said last week he is “not threatened” by the growing influence of the Saudi Professional League in the global football landscape.
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08:00 - 17.07.2023
FKFPL Ng’ang’a on how Gor Mahia can seal maiden CAF Champions League appearance
Ng’ang’a wants his teammates to look beyond just being dominant domestically and become a bigger force to be reckoned with in the Champions League.
Given their peerless global fame, the quality of the players’ new leagues is bound to be a frequent topic of debate even after they inevitably hang up their boots. In a roundtable over the weekend, Garber said that he does not feel that the league will be threatened by the Saudi Pro League’s newfound investment.
“I remember we were that league and everybody was saying, ‘What’s happening in America with Major League Soccer?’ And then what impact did that have on the rest of the world,” Garber said. “The rest of the world said, ‘Well, it’s just the crazy Americans, right? We don’t have to worry about them'.
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17:56 - 15.07.2023
STARS ABROAD Kenyan duo feature for Middlesbrough and Leyton Orient in pre-season
None of the Kenyans emerged victorious in both games with their respective teams.
"I’m the co-chair of the World League Forum and the Saudi League has been a part of the World League Forum, there was just a meeting in London this past week.
“They are a contributing member of the global professional football community and their league is going to continue to grow and evolve and figure out how they can achieve what it is that they want to achieve for their fans, and whatever it is that they’re looking to achieve with their league overall.
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18:45 - 17.07.2023
‘Small team mentality’ - Former Gor Mahia coach blasts club leadership for shame of hosting CAF matches in Tanzania
The tactician feels successive regimes at K’Ogalo have lacked a long-term vision, leading to the embarrassment of playing home ties in neighbouring country
“I’ve seen it happen with China and I wasn’t concerned about that any more than I’m concerned about what’s happening in Saudi Arabia. It’s quite the opposite. The fact that we can spread the power and influence of professional football around the world, I think gives us all, or in emerging markets, an opportunity to think that it’s not just about Europe. Right?”
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