The Olivier Giroud saga is finally over. The Frenchman has joined MLS side LAFC on a free transfer. AC Milan’s decision to let the former World Cup winner leave for free was puzzling, considering Giroud is their top scorer. Nevertheless, Milan’s loss is LAFC’s gain. Moreover, the striker also reportedly rejected offers worth $10 million from the Saudi Pro League. With Giroud clearly preferring the MLS over the SPL, it is time to examine Cristiano Ronaldo’s big claim regarding soccer in the Middle East.

Previously, Cristiano Ronaldo had urged superstars to follow his path and join the Saudi League. The Portuguese icon had said, “Everyone watches the Saudi League, and I tell all the players in Europe to come to Saudi Arabia.” This came directly after his bold claim regarding the MLS. CR7 had stated, “The Saudi league is better than MLS.” The Al Nassr captain didn’t stop there, as he declared the Saudi League is no worse than Ligue 1. A huge verdict considering that Ligue 1 is considered among the top 5 leagues in the world. However, the Giroud case proves that not all soccer players share the same view.

Despite having higher offers elsewhere, Oliver Giroud prioritized a move to the LAFC. Notably, Hugo Lloris reportedly played a major role in the decision. The duo know each other well owing to their time on the French national team. Yet, Giroud’s choice to reject an approach from Saudi Arabia begs a question.

Is Cristiano Ronaldo overestimating the Saudi Pro League?

The Roshn SPL and MLS are two leagues on the rise. Largely due to the blockbuster signings of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, respectively. Now the question arises: Is CR7 correct in calling the Saudi League superior to its American MLS counterpart? As per Opta rankings, the answer is a resounding no. The recent Opta rankings showed that MLS is among the top 10 leagues in the world while the SPL failed to even make the cut!

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Furthermore, the story is similar in the case of popularity as well. This season, the Saudi Pro League has had an average attendance of just over 8,000. In contrast, the average turnout for an MLS game is over 24,000. Hence, this shows that viewers don’t necessarily agree with Cristiano Ronaldo. However, the soccer icon is not entirely wrong. The Saudi League has made massive strides recently and this is one of the reasons why lots of elite European talent moved there. If they continue to develop at that rate, then Ronaldo’s top-five prediction does not look like an outlandish take.