Cristiano Ronaldo, who joined the Saudi League in 2022, remains certain in his belief that more world-class players will follow him to Saudi Arabia, despite Lionel Messi rejecting a move to the country, reported by goal.com. Ronaldo, who signed the most lucrative contract in football history with a Saudi Arabian club after leaving Manchester United, has been joined by Karim Benzema, who made a switch to Al-Ittihad from Real Madrid. However, Lionel Messi decided to pursue a new adventure with Inter Miami in the MLS instead of joining Ronaldo in Saudi Arabia. Despite this setback, Ronaldo is confident that numerous top talents will flock to Riyadh, and he views his move as the catalyst for a phenomenon.

During an event in Madrid, Cristiano Ronaldo stated, “I knew that me going to Saudi Arabia would open a box and I wasn't wrong. I'm sure in a couple of years or three, this league is going to be one of the most important leagues in the world. Karim [Benzema] left already, and I am 1000% sure that many more players will. May all the stars come to Arabia, there are no problems with the league. What we want is competition.”

Ronaldo's conviction may be justified as reports suggest that Chelsea midfielder N'Golo Kante is being targeted for a move to Saudi Arabia and could potentially become Ronaldo's teammate at Al-Nassr. Other notable names linked with moves to the Saudi League include Sergio Ramos, Jordi Alba, Sergio Busquets, Wilfried Zaha, and Roberto Firmino.

The objective of Saudi Arabian clubs is to establish a highly competitive league and elevate the level of Saudi clubs. According to a Saudi government official, they are targeting 10 European-based players this summer, many of whom have won the World Cup or the Champions League. The clubs aim to finalize these transfers before the start of the 2023-24 Pro League season on August 11.

As Ronaldo's prediction of attracting top talent to the Saudi League gains momentum, it will be interesting to see how the league evolves and competes with the established football powerhouses in the coming years.