Fede Valverde, former Real Madrid teammate of Cristiano Ronaldo, commends the Portuguese superstar for starting the rapid progress of the Saudi Pro League, reported by GOAL. Ronaldo, the first megastar to make the move to Saudi Arabia to Al-Nassr, sparked a football revolution in the Middle East, drawing other luminaries like Neymar and Karim Benzema to Al-Ittihad and Al-Hilal, respectively.

Valverde, who shared the dressing room with both Ronaldo and Benzema at Real Madrid, acknowledged Ronaldo as a trailblazer in elevating the standard of football in the region. Speaking to reporters, Valverde stated, “I think there’s 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 to have players of that quality is important.”

The allure of the Pro League, fueled by substantial wage structures, has enticed renowned players, with even Liverpool's Mohamed Salah rumored to be considering a move to Riyadh. However, Valverde emphasized his commitment to Real Madrid, stating that no financial offer, regardless of its magnitude, could tempt him away from the Spanish giants.

“It is really impossible for me to go to the Saudi League,” Valverde affirmed, adding, “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.”

Despite Valverde's stance, the influx of top-tier talent to Saudi Arabia shows no signs of slowing down. The Saudi Pro League is reportedly still pursuing a deal for Paris Saint-Germain's Kylian Mbappe, even after the forward rejected a move in the summer transfer window. If successful, securing signings like Salah and Mbappe would mark another significant milestone for Saudi Arabian football. The football landscape in the Middle East is undergoing a transformative shift, thanks to the pioneering move by Cristiano Ronaldo.