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The Saudi Pro League is the top division of professional football in Saudi Arabia. It was founded in 1976 and has 16 teams competing for the title every season. The league has grown in popularity and quality over the years, attracting some of the best players and coaches from around the world. Recently, Wikipedia ranked the league as Asia’s best league, ahead of Japan and South Korea’s top-flight leagues.
One of the main reasons why the Saudi Pro League is the best football league in Asia is its recent performance in the AFC Champions League, the continent’s premier club competition. The Middle Eastern league received a perfect ranking of 100 points from the AFC, whereas the closest leagues behind the league were the South Korean and the Japanese Leagues at 95.462 and 93.412 points respectively.
Another reason for Saudi Pro League's dominance in Asia is its ability to attract some of the biggest names in world football. After Cristiano Ronaldo joined Al-Nassr in January 2023 following his Manchester United exit, many star players from the European clubs moved to Saudi Arabia. Ronaldo, who is widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time, has praised the Saudi Pro League as better than Major League Soccer, where his rival Lionel Messi plays for Inter Miami.
In his recent interview, Ronaldo said he opened the way for other top players to come to Saudi Arabia and that he has no plans to return to Europe. “The Saudi league is better than MLS,” Ronaldo stated after Al Nassr’s 5-0 pre-season friendly defeat to Spanish club Celta Vigo. “European football has lost a lot of quality. The only valid one and still doing good is the (English) Premier League. They're way ahead of all the other leagues” Ronaldo added further.
The league has seen the likes of Karim Benzema, N’Golo Kante, Kalidou Koulibaly, and Edouard Mendy join its ranks in recent days, adding to the quality and excitement of the competition.
The Saudi Pro League is not only the best football league in Asia, but also one of the most competitive and entertaining leagues in the world. With its high-quality players, coaches, and teams, its impressive results in continental competitions, and its enthusiastic and supportive fans, the league offers a unique and thrilling experience for football lovers everywhere.
