As first season with Al-Nassr draws to a close, Cristiano Ronaldo reiterates support for rising Saudi football

Cristiano Ronaldo made headlines on and off the pitch on Tuesday. Firstly, he scored a spectacular goal that proved to be the decisive strike in a dramatic come-from-behind 3-2 win over Al-Shabab that kept his team three points behind Al-Ittihad, and their title dreams alive.

It was the kind of goal that fans in Spain, Italy, England and Portugal have cheered for years and one that will rank alongside the many hundreds the 38-year-old has scored in an illustrious career, and surely the best of the 14 netted so far in the yellow of Al-Nassr.

Secondly, not much more than 30 minutes later, he gave a short interview that followed his goal, to be talked about around the world.

“We are much better and the Saudi league is getting better and the next year will be even better,” he told Saudi Arabian sports channel SSC. “Step-by-step I think this league will be among the top five leagues in the world, but they need time, players and infrastructure. But I believe that this country has amazing potential, they have amazing people and the league will be great in my opinion.”

It was not the first time that Ronaldo has made such comments after arriving in the country in January. During his first international break with Portugal in March, he said something similar for a foreign audience. The reaction was one of disbelief in Europe and the comments were dismissed. This time he was talking to a domestic audience and the message is the same. He means what he is saying.

He did stress potential and point out the need for three things — players, infrastructure and time.

The presence of the five-time Ballon d’Or winner will help with the first. It is very likely that there will be an influx of top-class foreign talents coming into the