Just read that he made those comments after losing 5:0 to Celta Vigo 
my god, how did I miss that? It's almost absurd
my god, how did I miss that? It's almost absurdCristiano Ronaldo - Much Ado About Al Nassr
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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik @Rood and Imran @Annihilate Now! start with the good news by celebrating Manchester United Women's emphatic FA Cup win over Spurs at Wembley and the future of manager Marc Skinner.
Then it's the bad news and the ever worsening form of our Men with losses to Arsenal and Palace.
Finally the main debate - ETH Out now or keep him until the end of the season - if not longer. Are you Team Nik or Team Imran?
Standard of living wise Messi has trumped him hands down! I’m imagine Ronaldo’s existence involves staring at lots of walls
His comments about Europe losing a lot of quality was random. Especially bad timing after his team got dogged by celta de vigo. Even his comments about the Portuguese league were random and sad to hear because clearly the league is better then the Saudi league.
With that being said a lot of these quotes are being taken out of context. He never made a dig at Messi. The reporter asked him *after he said he would never play in europe again* “How about going to the United States with Messi?” To which he replied, “No, the Saudi league is better then the MLS”
Which by the way is probably true. Saudi league 3 to 4 best teams (especially with these big moves) would probably easily beat the best MLS team (which this season is Austin FC and Cincinnati).
He is an ambassador for the league. He is their to help promote the game in Saudi and help the league grow, naturally he would say it’s better then another league which could be considered a direct competition to the saudi league In terms of attracting big names.
Secondly his comments about all of these players going to the Saudi league because of him. He does not literally mean they are going to be “closer to Ronaldo or play in the same league as him”. What he said is true. He was the Pandora’s box which was opened, because of who he is and his move to the league it opened the door for other players to say “shit, if he went then why not go get paid myself?”
Proof of this is that the Saudi league didn’t just get this money, they have had this money for YEARS and not once were they able to attract the caliber of player they are getting now. Their is a reason savic, Neves, mahrez, benzema, Inset name, inset name, we’re not joining last summer. Ronaldo’s influence in the saudi league is evident and what they wanted . They want him to grow the league in Saudi Arabia similar to what pele or Beckham did for the game in the United States. Saudi Arabia though have the luxury of throwing in blank checks to make it all the more feasible.
With that being said a lot of these quotes are being taken out of context. He never made a dig at Messi. The reporter asked him *after he said he would never play in europe again* “How about going to the United States with Messi?” To which he replied, “No, the Saudi league is better then the MLS”
Which by the way is probably true. Saudi league 3 to 4 best teams (especially with these big moves) would probably easily beat the best MLS team (which this season is Austin FC and Cincinnati).
He is an ambassador for the league. He is their to help promote the game in Saudi and help the league grow, naturally he would say it’s better then another league which could be considered a direct competition to the saudi league In terms of attracting big names.
Secondly his comments about all of these players going to the Saudi league because of him. He does not literally mean they are going to be “closer to Ronaldo or play in the same league as him”. What he said is true. He was the Pandora’s box which was opened, because of who he is and his move to the league it opened the door for other players to say “shit, if he went then why not go get paid myself?”
Proof of this is that the Saudi league didn’t just get this money, they have had this money for YEARS and not once were they able to attract the caliber of player they are getting now. Their is a reason savic, Neves, mahrez, benzema, Inset name, inset name, we’re not joining last summer. Ronaldo’s influence in the saudi league is evident and what they wanted . They want him to grow the league in Saudi Arabia similar to what pele or Beckham did for the game in the United States. Saudi Arabia though have the luxury of throwing in blank checks to make it all the more feasible.
I call him Insau, involuntarily Saudi League. Like an incel with woman, he’s going off on the European leagues that rejected him.
NGL the way this author describes everything is pretty funny: https://defector.com/cristiano-ronaldo-is-being-a-butt-again
Its all right Ronnie, we get it.
Of course he was the first high-profile player to go. The issue isn't about stating this fact in an interview, it's that he's weirdly gloating about it.
Your second point about the Saudi league "always having this money" doesn't seem true at all. Currently there is an obvious push to recruit players because KSA has very recently decided to try and be a major player in sports (merging with the PGA, talking about hosting a WC in the near future, the 2029 Asian Winter Games, etc). Saudis clubs weren't offering those contracts to Benzema an co two years ago.
He has to say something to get his poxy face back into European media.
Dick head.
Dick head.
Conclusion: your idol is a bellend.
This. It is admiring example of how you can paint a positive brush on anything.
I genuinely wonder what he'll be up to in 10 years time. He said previously that he had no interest in coaching or managing, but he also said that he had no intention of playing in a poor league to prolong his career...and here we are.
Will he have an ill fated bash at being a film star? Any chance of pulling a Tim Wiese and becoming a bodybuilder (he could freely indulge his narcissism and his obsession with the male physique while still being in a competitive environment)? Maybe he'll get alarmed by climate change and become an environmental activist? Or maybe he'll surprise us all and retire happily into blissful obscurity; a devoted husband, father, and friend.
Something tells me he won't handle his advancing years with grace. Because he certainly hasn't to this point.
Will he have an ill fated bash at being a film star? Any chance of pulling a Tim Wiese and becoming a bodybuilder (he could freely indulge his narcissism and his obsession with the male physique while still being in a competitive environment)? Maybe he'll get alarmed by climate change and become an environmental activist? Or maybe he'll surprise us all and retire happily into blissful obscurity; a devoted husband, father, and friend.
Something tells me he won't handle his advancing years with grace. Because he certainly hasn't to this point.
The slave comment did it for me and it still might be the most ridiculous thing I've heard from a profesional footballer, can't stand him since then despite the performances he had for us after that.
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Regardless of all the love or hate, he is probably one of the most influential footballer ever.
Of course he is. Not meant ironically btw.
The things is that his comments about Europe aren't random, they come from him being bitter and with horrible timing.
Yet there is an elephant in this room with the size of a flea, because he digs on Messi from time to time even if not in a direct way, reporters also know that just by naming Messi will trigger sthg. like here.
Indeed at the current state of constant signing of Top players, they will manage to at least have a lot better League than it was, some players are clearly going way before they are in their last stages. This doesn't mean that it's set in stone, or it directly translates to better football, more competitive and such, because football needs teams more than names...plus we don't know how many will do a Tevez in China and how many will be Pros like CR. But I agree that at least for a couple of years, if so many transfers of Top players are done, they will enjoy some great talent.
The thing that it was really noticeable wasn't that aspect of being an ambassador of the league (BTW being an ambassador should involve a certain degree of diplomacy).
On the other hand was his tendency to diss sthg to make his point, the constant antagonism that fuels him, he could have simple say: "NOPE", or "I dunno what the future would bring", or make a joke of calling Messi to go there, yet he chose (once again) the antagonist, bitter sound response, that indeed is a natural response coming from him. It's not that he is not capable to be funny, or gracefull, or just a relax dude, but he tends to be really bitter bordering silly when he is angry. Football has and had lots of arrogant players, yet he lacks the chops to be funny most of the time, like Zlatan most of times can do, like Diego, Romario and so many in the past also have been. It's sthg that it's not in him and that is why it's easier for people in general to be annoyed. On the positive side, he lies like everyone of us, but he does avoid the "interview cassette" that most athletes on every sport tend to do and that's refreshing sometimes, entertaining others (even from the wrong reasons) and like honey to bees for reporters, he is quite easy to be triggered .
Indeed it has an impact, but it's his delivery what almost always it's wrong, it's always about him as main reason and it's clearly not. The main reason it's the money involved and the luxury style of life from Arabia. Also in CR's positive influence falls that more than probably other players seeing he agreed to his contract, must mean that they'll fullfill what they are promising in financial terms to the very least.
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https://youtube.com/shorts/is_u9v6N-Pg?feature=share3
Refuses to sign a united shirt, sign the Madrid one.
Refuses to sign a united shirt, sign the Madrid one.
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Horsechoker agrees
Full video, he takes the United shirt and signs it so.... Nothing to see here.https://youtube.com/shorts/is_u9v6N-Pg?feature=share3
Refuses to sign a united shirt, sign the Madrid one.
Never seen the full video.
Lots of cosmetic surgery, living in Greece working on his tan.
And an ambassadorial role for UEFA/Saudi/UN Peacekeeping/UNICEF/save the whales etc.
Yeh, he will have perfected his looks by then and will be a dead ringer for Kryten with a sun tan.
The league quality, to be sustainable, needs that the domestic players can be, in average, a competitive player.
IMHO the average yankee player is still better than the average Saudi player.
IMHO the average yankee player is still better than the average Saudi player.
Europe is declining.
That is why I'm glad that European players actually acknowledge how tough the Japanese league is nowadays as well. From its beginnings in 1993 (with a bunch of former European and Brazilian internationals retiring there) up to now, the caliber of football has certainly evolved to a level that former internationals say it's difficult to survive there now.
But regardless of country, it all comes down to having a solid player development model from grassroots.
Didn't they just lose 0:5 to Celta Vigo? In that way 1:4 is a step up.
I don't think is comment about European football declining is that bad. A lot of the top leagues in Europe have issues to address.
AlNassr 1 : 9 Europe. I bet they think it's a good idea to have a preseason against european teams because they're confident of their quality. Turns out they're getting demolished. They're 2nd last season btw.
European football has a few big problems which, for the last two decades now, have slowly but surely been reaching their boiling point. But these issues are, for the most part, systemic and not - as Ronnie would like them to be - on the pitch matters. The most ironic thing about it is that his current employers are among the people whose involvement in football has both exacerbated these issues and made a drastic solution much less likely to happen.
I can picture the outreach advertisement now
*Cristiano sits on a vintage, velvet chair by the fireplace. He's wearing a luxurious robe, holding a goblet of fine wine. He watches the fire crackling, seemingly unaware that a camera is in his living room, watching him do this run-of-the-mill average man activity....suddenly he sees the camera...*
Oh, hello there friend. I didn't see you come in.
Im Cristiano Ronaldo. You probably know me as the scorer of 856 career goals for some of the biggest clubs in the world. From Manchester, to Madrid, to Juventus, to Al-Nassr, and my country Portugal. I have won everything there is to win in football.
Yes, I have scored many goals in my life. But the one goal I continue to chase is to end the needless suffering of.... (checks piece of paper concealed in his hand)....whales.
You see, all across the world we continue the barbaric act of hunting.....(checks piece of paper concealed in his hand)....whales........for their meat. This is not right and it needs to stop.
So please, won't you join me on this mission and visit www.CristianoSaves...... (checks piece of paper concealed in his hand)....Whales.com....and pledge your support today.
This is important to me. How important? Well let me tell you. It's.....
(Cristiano jumps out of his chair, doing his trademark goal celebration)
SSSIIIIIIUUUUU Important.
Thank you, friend.
Hahah
This is what I find so funny about it. I mean what he said was horseshit because the MLS is about 50 places higher in the world rankings IIRC, but even if the Saudi Pro league was superior, so what? 'My retirement league is better than your retirement league?' How pathetic is that? CR7 is living proof that you can be one of the most successful sporting personages in the world and still be a loser.
all it's missing is a scene change where he's walking down a corridor, and behind him are multiple giant glass tubes growing Ronaldo variants.If you can't forecast how the balance of power is shifting you can't see the woods for the trees. There's a dislike for Ronaldo that blinds so many posters in here - he's a thoroughly dislikeable bloke don't get me wrong - but if Saudi are committed to this big investment drive (and everything suggests they are) and don't do a China, the player drain from European leagues will only intensify. Nothing will change in a year but it won't be long until we start to see elite players and managers moving there.
Not gonna happen.. it's a sport washing and football marketing being manipulated by the states.
The saudi league dont have the ecosystem for a talent drain.
Al hilal and a few top club might buy a few players here and there but they're not the same without a full 20 teams providing challenge and the European Cup to compete.
You do need an ecosystem for it to work and people to start watching.
That is the only way up. The grassroots are the key for the long term success.
If the English players didn't had enough quality, British teams would had never got so many good results in continental competitions.
Almost every top 10 european league has a lot of national players playing in their domestic top teams and in the best teams of europe.
If you pick the best Saudi player he would not even play in a smaller team in the portuguese Primeira Liga.
Now that you mention japanese players, we have a few sucess cases on players coming from J League and suceeding in Portugal, which proves your point.
Re the bolded, why? They will bankroll the entire thing, they will have no interest in grassroots.
Sports washing works, it's literally happening in front of your eyes. CL is at its weakest ever, there isn't a single massive European club without money issues. Domestically we think the PL is untouchable but they have let a country own a team and destroy the PL's USP which made it so popular in the 00's with the idea that there was a genuine top 3-4 who could win the league each year. Let's also be honest, the PL isn't attractive to all these players from Latin America/mainland Europe and their families because they want to live in England, it's because the money is here, if Saudi keeps improving their image (which they are doing at a rapid rate) all it will take is them buying their way into the CL (I would bet that this is their goal) and then you will basically have 4 Galactico style teams all based out of Saudi where they can offer complete security and a lifestyle way beyond anything in Europe and most players' families will likely just live in Dubai anyway.
If you asked Cristiano to help save the whales he would probably try to hook Gareth Bale up with a contract at Al-Nassr.