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Cristiano Ronaldo 'welcomes' Lionel Messi, Karim Benzema, and others to Saudi Pro League - WATCH

Amid rumours of stars like Lionel Messi, Karim Benzema and several others are considering a move to join Saudi Pro League, Al-Nassr star Cristiano Ronaldo has sent a special message to them and also opens up about his time in Riyadh so far.

football watch Cristiano Ronaldo 'welcomes' Lionel Messi, Karim Benzema, and others to Saudi Pro League snt
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First Published Jun 2, 2023, 3:13 PM IST

Football's summer transfer window is heating up, with several stars bidding farewell to their teams and moving to other clubs. All eyes are on legendary striker Lionel Messi's future after Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) on Thursday confirmed that the Argentine will play his last game at Parc des Princes this weekend. Amid rumours of Messi's possible return to Barcelona or a move to Al-Hilal came yet another shocker when reports claimed that Karim Benzema is likely to leave Real Madrid this season for a move to Al-Ittihad. The Saudi Pro League has recently gained immense attention, especially since the arrival of legendary striker Cristiano Ronaldo at Al-Nassr in January this year. And amid speculations over some iconic players' links with a move to the Gulf nation, the Portuguese talisman has sent a special message to players, both young and old.

Also read: Lionel Messi will decide his future next week, reveals Barcelona boss Xavi Hernandez - WATCH

In a Saudi Pro League interview Ronaldo said, "If they are coming, big players and big names, young players, 'old players', they are very welcome. If that happens, the league will improve a little bit. Age is not important. But competing players, young players, depends on many factors."

WATCH Cristiano Ronaldo's full interview with Saudi Pro League here:

Since Ronaldo's arrival, several other top players have been linked with a move to the Saudi league, with Lionel Messi receiving a formal offer of 1.2 billion euros to join Al-Hilal next season. Ronaldo's former Real Madrid team-mate, and Ballon d'Or winner, Karim Benzema has reportedly received an offer worth more around 200 million pounds from Al Ittihad.

Ronaldo became the highest-paid footballer in the history of the sport when he signed a deal with Al-Nassr in January worth around 200 million pounds. The 38-year-old legend scored 14 goals in 16 games but it was not enough to help his side win the Saudi Pro League (SPL) title, with Al-Nassr finishing second behind Al Ittihad, as he finished empty-handed. This led to several rumours of the five-time Ballon d'Or winner considering an departure from the league in just six months. However, the Portuguese superstar had put such specualtions to rest, and has stated what needs to be done to improve the Saudi Pro League.

Also read: 'Hala Madrid': Real Madrid fans rejoice after Benzema says 'internet is not reality' on move to Al-Ittihad

Ronaldo confirmed he would stay with Al-Nassr despite having a disappointing first season. "We have very good teams, very good Arab players, but the infrastructure - they need to improve a little bit more. Even the referees, the VAR system, should be a little quicker," he said in an SPL interview. "But I'm happy here, I want to continue here, I will continue here."

Although there were numerous contrasts from his time in Europe, where he played for great clubs like Manchester United, Juventus, and Real Madrid, Ronaldo claimed he had adjusted to life at the club. "In Europe we train more in the morning and here we train in the afternoon, or night. When you start Ramadan, we train at 10 o'clock in the night. It was so strange," he added.

Also read: Cristiano Ronaldo fans troll Lionel Messi after PSG confirm his exit; calls him 'biggest flop of all time'

Meanwhile, talking about life in Saudi Arabia, Ronaldo noted, "Very good. If you want to come here, to have fun, to see the culture, to eat good food. The Saudis live more in the night which I think is quite fun and interesting. And it is good. If you see during the night, it is very beautiful, the city. If you like to eat, coming to Riyadh it is probably one of the best places I ever seen with more quality restaurants. The most beautiful experience I ever had here was when I went to Boulevard World, which is something that I really enjoyed. I brought all my family there. So far, very good experience. My family are happy. Schools for the kids are very good and the things that the country are building for the future. I like to see different things, try different things. This is why I am here as well."

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