Months after his staggering $88 million dollar move to Al Ittihad, this ex-Chelsea star is making waves for coming out in defense of the Saudi Pro League. Over the last couple of months, rumors and allegations of ‘sport-washing’ have marred the reputation of the soccer scene in the Gulf.

According to this French compatriot of one-time Ballon d’Or winner Karim Benzema, it seems like the Saudi League has nothing to worry about. Why? Well, the 2018 FIFA World Cup winner seems to suggest that the league is set to parallel the success of top-flight soccer leagues like Kylian Mbappe’s current league – the Ligue 1. So, who’s this soccer icon and what’s his take on the success of the Saudi Pro League?

Ex-Chelsea star and Karim Benzema teammate comes out in defense of the Saudi Pro League

We’re talking about former Chelsea midfielder, N’Golo Kante. Recently, while talking to reporters, the Al Ittihad defensive midfielder took his time to clear the air around some prevailing notions.

First off, he openly voiced his surprise at the ‘level’ of the Saudi Pro League. And why not? After all, ever since the beginning of this year, the SPL has made headlines – all thanks to some of the most influential transfers in soccer’s history. While Cristiano Ronaldo may have paved the way for other European icons to follow – it’s the addition of players like Neymar, Benzema, and Kante, who’ve had a big impact on the global reach of the league.

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What’s more – he also went on to make a bold assertion, drawing an intriguing parallel between the SPL and Ligue 1. He reportedly argued that despite all the buzz around the European soccer scene, the Saudi Pro League is definitely on a similar level as that of Ligue 1.

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What’s even more intriguing is that this comes from a player who has played in the Ligue 1 for two years during his initial career days! But he’s not the first one to come to the SPL’s defense.

How Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar, and Benzema have come to the Saudi Pro League’s rescue

The Saudi Pro League has found unlikely saviors in the form of Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar, and Karim Benzema. A couple of weeks ago, Al Nassr star Cristiano Ronaldo and Al Hilal sensation Neymar made some intriguing parallels comparing the SPL to other top-flight soccer leagues.

The five-time Ballon d’Or winner declared: “I believe that the Arab League is better than the Portuguese one. It’s not just the controversy, there’s not so much fuss, [but] the quality of the names is much better. I hope it can get better, [though] I know it will be difficult…”

Even Neymar gave a similar statement: “I assure you that soccer there [in Saudi Arabia] is the same… If you look at the names that have gone to the Saudi league… I don’t know whether it is better than the French league or not. Everyone said the same when I went to France…”

These affirmations indicate that the league is heading in a direction where it can compete with top-tier European competitions. With icons like Ronaldo, Benzema, and Kanté joining the ranks, the SPL is poised for further progress and influence in the global soccer landscape. What do you make of the evolving soccer scene in the Gulf? Drop your thoughts in the comments below!

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