Fede Valverde has hailed his former Real Madrid teammate Cristiano Ronaldo for the rapid “progression” in the Saudi Pro League.
The Portuguese striker caused shockwaves around the world when he announced his decision to sign for Al-Nassr after the 2022 World Cup. His departure for the Middle East sparked an influx of superstar signings in the Saudi Pro League over the summer, including Ballon d’Or winner Karim Benzema and Brazilian striker Neymar, at Al-Ittihad and Al-Hilal respectively.
Valverde had the chance to share a dressing room with Ronaldo and Benzema at Real Madrid. The Uruguayan midfielder hailed Ronaldo as a pioneer in the development of football in the Middle East. Speaking to reporters, Valverde said: “I think there has been a lot of progress with the players who have come here. For example, Cristiano, who started all this. It shows what they want to do and it’s important to have players of this quality.”
The Pro League continues to attract players due to its high wage structures, and even Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah is linked with a move to Riyadh. However, Valverde also made it clear that even a blank check would not convince him to choose Saudi Arabia at this stage of his career, as he is enjoying his time with the Whites.
“It’s really impossible for me to go to the Saudi League”he added to Movistar. “There’s no chance.” 10, 20 or 30 million will not change my life. I’m at Real Madrid, the best club in the world. I love my life in Madrid, the same goes for my family and that’s it.“
