Cristiano Ronaldo‘s hopes of making a return to the Champions League with Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr have been officially dashed by UEFA, as reported by goal.com. The governing body's president, Aleksander Ceferin, has definitively ruled out the possibility of Saudi teams, including Al-Nassr, joining the prestigious European competition.

Ceferin's statement comes in response to media reports that suggested there might be a chance for Saudi Pro League teams to gain wildcard entries to the Champions League. Despite Carlo Nohra, the chief operating officer of the Saudi Pro League, expressing interest in such an opportunity, Ceferin clarified that only European clubs are eligible to participate in the Champions League, Europa League, and Conference League.

Furthermore, Ceferin addressed the speculation about the possibility of hosting the Champions League final in the United States. He made it clear that only European federations, not clubs, can apply to host the final, and that UEFA has no intention of changing its rules to accommodate such a request.

Ceferin also discussed the recent trend of high-profile players moving to Saudi Arabia's domestic league. While acknowledging the presence of big-name players like Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar, and others in the Saudi Pro League, Ceferin expressed skepticism about the league's potential to compete with European football. He compared the situation to a similar scenario in Chinese football, where players were lured by lucrative offers, but the league's development didn't meet expectations.

The UEFA president further emphasized that the best players in their prime, such as Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland, are unlikely to aspire to play in Saudi Arabia. Ceferin's comments come just ahead of the Champions League group stage draw, which is scheduled for Thursday.