Former France international Adil Rami has hit back at Cristiano Ronaldo after the Al-Nassr star claimed the Saudi Pro League is better than Ligue 1.
The former Manchester United, Real Madrid and Juventus player made the comments after being named Middle East Player of the Year at the Globe Soccer Awards in Dubai on Friday.
The 39-year-old has made an impressive start to the season, scoring ten goals and registering two assists in 12 matches. Al-Nassr is currently fourth in the league.
Ronaldo said: “The Saudi league is better than Ligue 1, of course.
“France only has PSG. The others are finished. Try sprinting at 38, 39, 40 degrees and you’ll see.”
Former Lille and Marseille defender Rami, speaking on a Twitch live stream, responded to Ronaldo’s claim: “He’s talking rubbish. You want me to show you pictures of veterans in Saudi Arabia. It’s not because he had a crazy career, as soon as he says something it’s the truth.
Adil Rami scored Cristiano Ronaldo:
« CR7 on a beau l’aimer mais c’est pas parce qu’il a fait une carrière de dingue que dès qu’il dit un truc c’est la vérité !
Les mecs en Arabie Saoudite 🇸🇦, ils sont en surpoids, ils s’en battent les… pic.twitter.com/7jrghFOePM
— Actu Foot (@ActuFoot_) December 30, 2024
“I think it’s a PR stunt. We have defenders, they are machines. Put him in Ligue 1 and they eat him up.
“Cristiano Ronaldo, you know, I’m a fan. I am team Cristiano Ronaldo, but he made a mistake. When he says that the championship of Saudi Arabia is better than the one in France, he takes a lot of people with him.”
Along with the Premier League, Bundesliga, Serie A and La Liga, the French first division is considered one of the top five divisions in Europe.
However, only one French team – Marseille in 1993 – has ever won the Champions League or the European Cup.
In comparison, Spanish clubs have lifted the trophy 20 times, followed by English clubs with 15. Italian teams have won the competition 12 times, while German clubs have won eight.
France is seventh on the list, behind the Netherlands with six triumphs and Portugal with four.
