Saudi Professional League 2023/2024

[Tamaperdana]

The top clubs in the Saudi league have enough financial support, that's why they are keeping all these big players with such a huge amount of money. Recently, the most discussed issue is keeping Cristiano Ronaldo with such a huge amount of money. Many are saying that instead of keeping Cristiano Ronaldo at the club with such an annual salary, three to four more players from Europe could have been hired in his place. Yes, the club could have done it if they wanted, but Al-Nassr may want to make all their plans with Cristiano Ronaldo. While paying Ronaldo such an annual salary, they are not able to buy any other player, there are still many rumors in the transfer market where it is heard that big stars from Europe are being offered from Al-Nassr. The team is spending money every season, but they are not competing with Al Hilal. In this regard, if they think they need a good quality manager, then the management should focus on that.

Rumors about Ronaldo's contract extension at Al Nasr have been a hot topic. It's undeniable that Ronaldo's conditions for a contract extension are very expensive. That's why it's been widely discussed. However, Ronaldo has now agreed to extend his contract with Al Nasr for two seasons. This means Ronaldo will play in the Saudi Arabian League until 2027. So, when the World Cup begins next year, Ronaldo will still be wearing an Al Nasr uniform.

Besides, I personally don't have a problem with the money Al Nasr is spending on Ronaldo. Ronaldo is a valuable asset to Al Nasr and the Saudi Arabian League. If Al Nasr doesn't renew Ronaldo's contract and Ronaldo ultimately leaves the Saudi Arabian League, this will undoubtedly lead to a decline in the Saudi Arabian League's viewership ratings. It's undeniable that Ronaldo is the main player who made the Saudi Arabian League as popular as it is today. So, if the Saudi Arabian League still wants to carry out its plan to make the Saudi Arabian League known worldwide, they must keep Ronaldo, even if it means spending a lot of money.

As for why Al Nasr is struggling to compete with the elite teams in the Saudi Arabian League, I think the reason is clear their squad depth is uneven in terms of player quality. So, if Al Nasr wants to improve their performance, they need to make their squad more balanced.

[Solokan]

Al Nassr successful retention of Ronaldo, their top scorer, is welcome news. We recognize that this doesn't necessarily improve Al Nassr chances of winning a trophy next season, although we know the management has made efforts to revamp the squad and appoint a new manager. The race for trophies will undoubtedly be more competitive next season, and I expect it will involve more clubs, including Al Ittihad, Al Hilal, Al Ahli, and Al Qadsiah. However, Al Nassr situation appears to be in a good position, as they will miss out on the AFC Champions League next season, allowing them to focus entirely on the Saudi Pro League.

Al Nassr won't be participating in the Asian Champions League next season, and that will certainly allow them to focus more on winning the Saudi Arabian League trophy. However, it's also possible that Al Hilal, Al Ahli, and Ittihad will strive to perform better in the SPL, as teams often strive to win multiple trophies. However, I recall that Al Nassr will also be participating in the ACL Two as the Saudi Arabian League's representative, so I think they will be just as busy next season, as they will be participating in the ACL Two.

Yes, Al Nassr did a good job of keeping Ronaldo at Al Nassr. Without him, I certainly see Al Nassr's strength potentially declining. Fortunately, Al Nassr did a good job, giving the team the potential to win trophies next season, as they still have Ronaldo.

I also see that the upcoming Saudi league will be even more exciting because Al Hilal, Al Ahli, Al Qadisiyah, and Ittihad will certainly try to win, and the most ambitious team is Al Nassr because they have not won the SPL trophy since Ronaldo's arrival.

[Gallar]

I'm sure he checked pros and cons of his choice because he's already 26 years old, probably he's going to stay at lest 3 years in Saudi Arabia, that means he (eventually) would come back to Europe when he's 30 years old: at that point I don't think any big team will be interested in signing him, he would join a mid-tab team and that's it. But his bank account will be incredibly high so, again, smart move. Juventus, the team I support, was kind of interested in him but they would have never offered him more than 3-4 mln per year, and we are rebuilding the whole team so also joining Juventus would have been a bet.

This guy was the main striker for Italy's senior team, with him leaving, Italy will perform worse when they're already bad in the first place lol.

I think it's a bad decision, he might able to improve his national team if he play in top leagues, but he choose himself in this situation. Juventus already sign Jonathan David, much better than Rategui.

I know Italy will perform worse, I doubt he'll ever get call again because despite the fact that there are some good players, Saudi league is not seen as a very competitive and challenging league, therefore many managers don't think it's worth to call players playing in these leagues. It happened the same thing with Insigne and Bernardeschi: after winning the Euro Cup they moved to Canada and they lost their spot in the National team because the MLS is seen as a low level league. We still have Kean who, hopefully, will remain in Italy, or Europe at least.

Speaking about Retegui, it's true that his decision to move to the Saudi Arabian League has sparked controversy. Retegui is still too young to choose money over his career. Perhaps this is why many people are disappointed that Retegui would move to the Saudi Arabian League, or more specifically, to Al Qadisiyah. However, Retegui must have thought this through carefully, so it's impossible for him to have a vague plan. Therefore, we shouldn't dismiss Retegui's decision as entirely wrong, as he certainly has the right to determine his career path.

Regarding his future with the Italian national team, I believe that if Retegui can continue to perform well with Al Qadisiyah, he will remain a member of the Italian national team. Because, Many top European players who have joined the Saudi Arabian League are also regularly called up by their respective national teams. So, even if Retegui plays in the Saudi Arabian League, I think he still has a chance to represent the Italian national team. Because I don't think the Italian national team's management or analysis team are fools. So, if Retegui performs well, they'll definitely retain him, even if he plays in the Saudi Arabian league.

[W Jr.]

I'm sure he checked pros and cons of his choice because he's already 26 years old, probably he's going to stay at lest 3 years in Saudi Arabia, that means he (eventually) would come back to Europe when he's 30 years old: at that point I don't think any big team will be interested in signing him, he would join a mid-tab team and that's it. But his bank account will be incredibly high so, again, smart move. Juventus, the team I support, was kind of interested in him but they would have never offered him more than 3-4 mln per year, and we are rebuilding the whole team so also joining Juventus would have been a bet.

This guy was the main striker for Italy's senior team, with him leaving, Italy will perform worse when they're already bad in the first place lol.

I think it's a bad decision, he might able to improve his national team if he play in top leagues, but he choose himself in this situation. Juventus already sign Jonathan David, much better than Rategui.

I know Italy will perform worse, I doubt he'll ever get call again because despite the fact that there are some good players, Saudi league is not seen as a very competitive and challenging league, therefore many managers don't think it's worth to call players playing in these leagues. It happened the same thing with Insigne and Bernardeschi: after winning the Euro Cup they moved to Canada and they lost their spot in the National team because the MLS is seen as a low level league. We still have Kean who, hopefully, will remain in Italy, or Europe at least.

The competitiveness and visibility of players in the Italian league lead to call-ups to the national team. Furthermore, for the MLS, the match schedule may not be similar to that in Europe. In this case, the national team manager may not call up players who are not ready for the national team. This is because they want a player who is accustomed to the intensity of many matches and is useful to the team. This is because it's a national competition, and the players are representing their country. They need to perform at their best. Considering the Saudi Arabian league, I believe the quality is top-notch. This quality, which began with Cristiano Ronaldo, continues to improve daily.

[Volgastallion]

You want to hear my opinion? Well here we go.

Im really considering to bet on the top goal scorer market for this league.
If the team support him I can see Retegui being the top goal scorer in this next season above Cristiano Ronaldo, and the oods can be quite good since he is not the favorite, and the number favorite is gonna be Cristiano again, we can make a good profit maybe.

[TelolettOm]

Rumors about Ronaldo's contract extension at Al Nasr have been a hot topic. It's undeniable that Ronaldo's conditions for a contract extension are very expensive. That's why it's been widely discussed. However, Ronaldo has now agreed to extend his contract with Al Nasr for two seasons. This means Ronaldo will play in the Saudi Arabian League until 2027. So, when the World Cup begins next year, Ronaldo will still be wearing an Al Nasr uniform.

It is not a rumor, Ronaldo officially got a contract extension for 2 years. It means he will stay in Al Nassr until June 2027. Sure, he will get a higher salary on the new deal of his contract with Al Nassr. Even if he still can't lead Al Nassr winning SPL trophy, I think he deserves it. Ronaldo has contributed much for Al Nassr and Saudi league. Ronaldo factor makes Saudi league and Al Nassr become more popular nowadays.



Sources:
1. https://www.aljazeera.com/sports/2025/6/26/cristiano-ronaldo-signs-news-contract-at-al-nassr-until-2027
2. https://www.theguardian.com/football/2025/jun/26/cristiano-ronaldo-signs-new-al-nassr-contract

Besides, I personally don't have a problem with the money Al Nasr is spending on Ronaldo. Ronaldo is a valuable asset to Al Nasr and the Saudi Arabian League. If Al Nasr doesn't renew Ronaldo's contract and Ronaldo ultimately leaves the Saudi Arabian League, this will undoubtedly lead to a decline in the Saudi Arabian League's viewership ratings. It's undeniable that Ronaldo is the main player who made the Saudi Arabian League as popular as it is today. So, if the Saudi Arabian League still wants to carry out its plan to make the Saudi Arabian League known worldwide, they must keep Ronaldo, even if it means spending a lot of money.

I think Al Nassr knows well what they are doing. Even if they spend a lot of money, Ronaldo really brings big impacts. It is not only for Al Nassr, but it is also for the Saudi league. Those popular players want to join Saudi league because of Ronaldo factor, too. Saudi league and Al Nassr also become popular around the world. So, it makes sense if Al Nassr wants to extend his contract for another years. The only thing that Ronaldo still doesn't give to Al Nassr is SPL trophy. I think Ronaldo can do it if Al Nassr rebuilds the squad with more quality defenders and midfielders.

[Arenga pinnata]

The top clubs in the Saudi league have enough financial support, that's why they are keeping all these big players with such a huge amount of money. Recently, the most discussed issue is keeping Cristiano Ronaldo with such a huge amount of money. Many are saying that instead of keeping Cristiano Ronaldo at the club with such an annual salary, three to four more players from Europe could have been hired in his place. Yes, the club could have done it if they wanted, but Al-Nassr may want to make all their plans with Cristiano Ronaldo. While paying Ronaldo such an annual salary, they are not able to buy any other player, there are still many rumors in the transfer market where it is heard that big stars from Europe are being offered from Al-Nassr. The team is spending money every season, but they are not competing with Al Hilal. In this regard, if they think they need a good quality manager, then the management should focus on that.

Al-Nassr realizes that retaining Cristiano Ronaldo is their top priority for the club's financial benefit. As you know, many sponsors flock to Al-Nassr thanks to Cristiano Ronaldo. Therefore, Al-Nassr remains in a profitable position, even when they have to pay a large sum for the legendary player. Furthermore, Al-Nassr also realizes that without Cristiano Ronaldo, the SPL will likely lose its spotlight. Meanwhile, the PIF is investing heavily to advance football in Saudi Arabia to gain more global attention. And Al-Nassr, as a team under the PIF, doesn't need to worry about money, as the PIF has a dedicated budget for this area.

Likewise, other teams under the PIF, namely Al-Hilal, Al-Ittihad, and Al-Ahli. Regarding the new manager, I think Al-Nassr could improve under their current coach, Jorge Jesus.

[Solokan]

Rumors about Ronaldo's contract extension at Al Nasr have been a hot topic. It's undeniable that Ronaldo's conditions for a contract extension are very expensive. That's why it's been widely discussed. However, Ronaldo has now agreed to extend his contract with Al Nasr for two seasons. This means Ronaldo will play in the Saudi Arabian League until 2027. So, when the World Cup begins next year, Ronaldo will still be wearing an Al Nasr uniform.

It is not a rumor, Ronaldo officially got a contract extension for 2 years. It means he will stay in Al Nassr until June 2027. Sure, he will get a higher salary on the new deal of his contract with Al Nassr. Even if he still can't lead Al Nassr winning SPL trophy, I think he deserves it. Ronaldo has contributed much for Al Nassr and Saudi league. Ronaldo factor makes Saudi league and Al Nassr become more popular nowadays.



Sources:
1. https://www.aljazeera.com/sports/2025/6/26/cristiano-ronaldo-signs-news-contract-at-al-nassr-until-2027
2. https://www.theguardian.com/football/2025/jun/26/cristiano-ronaldo-signs-new-al-nassr-contract

Besides, I personally don't have a problem with the money Al Nasr is spending on Ronaldo. Ronaldo is a valuable asset to Al Nasr and the Saudi Arabian League. If Al Nasr doesn't renew Ronaldo's contract and Ronaldo ultimately leaves the Saudi Arabian League, this will undoubtedly lead to a decline in the Saudi Arabian League's viewership ratings. It's undeniable that Ronaldo is the main player who made the Saudi Arabian League as popular as it is today. So, if the Saudi Arabian League still wants to carry out its plan to make the Saudi Arabian League known worldwide, they must keep Ronaldo, even if it means spending a lot of money.

I think Al Nassr knows well what they are doing. Even if they spend a lot of money, Ronaldo really brings big impacts. It is not only for Al Nassr, but it is also for the Saudi league. Those popular players want to join Saudi league because of Ronaldo factor, too. Saudi league and Al Nassr also become popular around the world. So, it makes sense if Al Nassr wants to extend his contract for another years. The only thing that Ronaldo still doesn't give to Al Nassr is SPL trophy. I think Ronaldo can do it if Al Nassr rebuilds the squad with more quality defenders and midfielders.

I personally am also happy to see Ronaldo's contract extended at Al Nassr until 2027. We will certainly see him perform in the Saudi Arabian League until 2027 if his contract is not extended in the end of June 2027. I personally agree with Al Nassr's decision, as it is indeed a wise move. If Ronaldo were not contracted and left the Saudi Arabian League, it would certainly cause the Saudi League to lose interest.

It's true that Ronaldo's presence in the SPL is what attracts other star players to Al Nassr, and without him, other star players might not want to join SPL clubs either. If you think about it, even though Al Nassr is spending a lot of money, it certainly won't be a loss. If Ronaldo were to leave, it would certainly hurt Al Nassr and reduce the popularity of the SPL.

It's true that the only thing Ronaldo hasn't achieved since his arrival is the SPL trophy. Yes, we'll see later, but it's true that if the back line and midfield are improved, it will certainly make Al Nassr stronger and of course there will be great potential for Al Nassr to become champions if Al Nassr improves the back line and midfield. Yes, hopefully, because the current coach is Jorge Jesus, Al Nassr can be even better and hopefully Jorge Jesus can improve Al Nassr to be even better.

[Gallar]

You want to hear my opinion? Well here we go.

Im really considering to bet on the top goal scorer market for this league.
If the team support him I can see Retegui being the top goal scorer in this next season above Cristiano Ronaldo, and the oods can be quite good since he is not the favorite, and the number favorite is gonna be Cristiano again, we can make a good profit maybe.

Retegui is indeed a very sharp striker, and it's proven in Serie A that he can score many goals. So in the Saudi Arabian League, he should be able to do the same. But we need to remember, the teammates Retegui will occupy will definitely greatly affect his goal-scoring performance. Because if Retegui's teammates are unable to support opportunities well, I think even though Retegui is a sharp striker, but if the situation is like that, it will certainly be very difficult for him to score goals. So for now, I personally can't say that Retegui can score many goals in the Saudi Arabian League, before I see his first match with Al Qadisiyah.

So, if he seems to have suitable teammates in the team, it is likely that Retegui can indeed score many goals. But if it is the opposite, I don't think Retegui will be able to score many goals. And regarding Ronaldo, I think he will definitely be more ferocious next season. Because he has a big ambition to get his 1000th goal and also he wants to lead Al Nasr to the championship. So, with this in mind, Ronaldo is guaranteed to be a prolific goalscorer again next season. Therefore, I personally would probably prefer to bet on Ronaldo in this case.

[arabspaceship123]

Cristiano's signed a mega contract to stay at Al Nassr. Al Ahli's trying to sign Messi from Inter Miami because his contract's going to end in Dec 25. If Cristiano & Messi play in SPL it's going to big news. Inter Miami say they hope he's going to stay but they can't offer Messi mega contracts.

[Frankolala]

Cristiano's signed a mega contract to stay at Al Nassr. Al Ahli's trying to sign Messi from Inter Miami because his contract's going to end in Dec 25. If Cristiano & Messi play in SPL it's going to big news. Inter Miami say they hope he's going to stay but they can't offer Messi mega contracts.

Wow!!!! This reminds me of the old days when these two players were rivals to each other. It was that time that El Clasico was very interesting because they both take the match personal. I don't think that we can see the best from these two players like it was then, because they're already old and weak. It will be fun to watch them play against each other again, if Messi moves to SPL.

[arabspaceship123]

They're getting older so this could be the last chance they'll get to play in the same league & play against each other like rivals. Cristiano's 40 he's signed with Al Nassr. Messi's 38 he's playing for Inter Miami but Al Ahli's trying to sign him.

Wow!!!! This reminds me of the old days when these two players were rivals to each other. It was that time that El Clasico was very interesting because they both take the match personal. I don't think that we can see the best from these two players like it was then, because they're already old and weak. It will be fun to watch them play against each other again, if Messi moves to SPL.

[Kaliandra]

Cristiano's signed a mega contract to stay at Al Nassr. Al Ahli's trying to sign Messi from Inter Miami because his contract's going to end in Dec 25. If Cristiano & Messi play in SPL it's going to big news. Inter Miami say they hope he's going to stay but they can't offer Messi mega contracts.

Cristiano Ronaldo's contract extension at Al Nassr until 2027 is certainly popular news, and it certainly makes people happy, especially Saudi Arabian League fans. Without Ronaldo, the Saudi Arabian League's popularity could decline. Furthermore, news about Messi is currently being widely discussed, as Al Ahli really wants him to join them, and if that happens, it would be very exciting.

Personally, I hope Messi chooses to play in the SPL. If it doesn't happen, it would be sad, as I personally want to see the Ronaldo-Messi rivalry rekindle. However, it seems unlikely, as there are reports that Inter Miami also wants to extend Messi's contract. The circulating news seems to be confusing me, with many reports making it difficult to predict where Messi will end up. I'm certainly willing to see what happens. However, if Messi does go to Al Ahli, I'm sure more top European players will want to play in the SPL.

[Volgastallion]

They're getting older so this could be the last chance they'll get to play in the same league & play against each other like rivals. Cristiano's 40 he's signed with Al Nassr. Messi's 38 he's playing for Inter Miami but Al Ahli's trying to sign him.
,

I don't want that I only want one thing and is both of them coming back to Europe, Messi for a last dance in Barcelona and Cristiano one last dance in Sporting Lisboa with his son as a player, the forward in Lisboa can be Cristiano Ronaldo, Gyokeres, Cristiano Jr

And they can play in the champions league, amazing. I'm dreaming right? Let me dream.

[Tamaperdana]

Cristiano's signed a mega contract to stay at Al Nassr. Al Ahli's trying to sign Messi from Inter Miami because his contract's going to end in Dec 25. If Cristiano & Messi play in SPL it's going to big news. Inter Miami say they hope he's going to stay but they can't offer Messi mega contracts.

If Messi could be brought in by Al Ahli, the Saudi Arabian League would undoubtedly become even more exciting and popular worldwide. Because the rivalry between Ronaldo and Messi has never faded, even though they no longer play in the same league. So, one can only imagine what would happen if these two players became rivals on the pitch again.

However, Al Ahli's efforts to sign Messi have not yielded positive results. Inter Miami still wants to keep him. Furthermore, according to rumors, Messi's family also disapproves of Messi playing in the Saudi Arabian League. Therefore, Al Ahli's process of signing Messi remains unclear. However, if Al Ahli continues to make large offers to Messi, I'm sure Messi will consider joining Al Ahli. Given his advanced age, securing a substantial contract will certainly be very difficult for Messi. Therefore, with this in mind, Messi should take the bold step of accepting the lucrative contract offered by Al Ahli.

[BlackBoss_]

If Messi could be brought in by Al Ahli, the Saudi Arabian League would undoubtedly become even more exciting and popular worldwide. Because the rivalry between Ronaldo and Messi has never faded, even though they no longer play in the same league. So, one can only imagine what would happen if these two players became rivals on the pitch again.

However, Al Ahli's efforts to sign Messi have not yielded positive results. Inter Miami still wants to keep him. Furthermore, according to rumors, Messi's family also disapproves of Messi playing in the Saudi Arabian League.

Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo can change a team but can not change a league and at their old ages, even changing a team is really hard task for them. They can play well but are no longer young and strong enough to change their clubs. How Cristiano Ronaldo and Messi have more regularly gotten bad results with their clubs in latest seasons shows this fact.

Al Ahli does not belong to biggest clubs list in Saudi Professional League and it's hard to convince Messi joining them. I also believe that Messi want his children to be grown up in a nation that is native English speaking and Saudi Arabia does not meet this condition.

[Sithara007]

I don't want that I only want one thing and is both of them coming back to Europe, Messi for a last dance in Barcelona and Cristiano one last dance in Sporting Lisboa with his son as a player, the forward in Lisboa can be Cristiano Ronaldo, Gyokeres, Cristiano Jr

And they can play in the champions league, amazing. I'm dreaming right? Let me dream.

Messi back to Europe? Why? He is Latin American, and he has decided that Major League Soccer (MLS) is where he will play his last professional matches. And regarding Ronaldo, he moved to Saudi Arabia after getting tired of all the insults and humiliation that he received in Europe. He played for top European clubs such as Real Madrid, Juventus and Manchester United. Unfortunately, none of these clubs gave him the respect that he deserved. I can see that he is quite happy with Al Nassr at the moment.

[Lidger]

The top clubs in the Saudi league have enough financial support, that's why they are keeping all these big players with such a huge amount of money. Recently, the most discussed issue is keeping Cristiano Ronaldo with such a huge amount of money. Many are saying that instead of keeping Cristiano Ronaldo at the club with such an annual salary, three to four more players from Europe could have been hired in his place. Yes, the club could have done it if they wanted, but Al-Nassr may want to make all their plans with Cristiano Ronaldo. While paying Ronaldo such an annual salary, they are not able to buy any other player, there are still many rumors in the transfer market where it is heard that big stars from Europe are being offered from Al-Nassr. The team is spending money every season, but they are not competing with Al Hilal. In this regard, if they think they need a good quality manager, then the management should focus on that.

Al-Nassr realizes that retaining Cristiano Ronaldo is their top priority for the club's financial benefit. As you know, many sponsors flock to Al-Nassr thanks to Cristiano Ronaldo. Therefore, Al-Nassr remains in a profitable position, even when they have to pay a large sum for the legendary player. Furthermore, Al-Nassr also realizes that without Cristiano Ronaldo, the SPL will likely lose its spotlight. Meanwhile, the PIF is investing heavily to advance football in Saudi Arabia to gain more global attention. And Al-Nassr, as a team under the PIF, doesn't need to worry about money, as the PIF has a dedicated budget for this area.

Likewise, other teams under the PIF, namely Al-Hilal, Al-Ittihad, and Al-Ahli. Regarding the new manager, I think Al-Nassr could improve under their current coach, Jorge Jesus.

After Cristiano Ronaldo joined Al-Nassr, the football world has learned about the Saudi League and Al-Nassr. Only because of Cristiano Ronaldo, various clubs in the league have been able to take so many famous footballers from Europe to the Saudi League. After Cristiano Ronaldo came to Al-Nassr, many big sponsors have come to Al-Nassr, but we can see it in Al-Nassr and this is a very big sector of the club's income. Earlier, Adidas did not sponsor Al-Nassr with jerseys and other equipment, but after Cristiano Ronaldo came, they sponsored Al-Nassr as the only club in the Saudi League. Maybe the amount of money they have paid to keep Ronaldo is a lot, but if the club had suffered a lot financially by keeping him, they would not have kept him, there is a profit or there is a possibility of profit, that is why they have kept Cristiano Ronaldo with such a large amount of money.

[Ale88]

I'm sure he checked pros and cons of his choice because he's already 26 years old, probably he's going to stay at lest 3 years in Saudi Arabia, that means he (eventually) would come back to Europe when he's 30 years old: at that point I don't think any big team will be interested in signing him, he would join a mid-tab team and that's it. But his bank account will be incredibly high so, again, smart move. Juventus, the team I support, was kind of interested in him but they would have never offered him more than 3-4 mln per year, and we are rebuilding the whole team so also joining Juventus would have been a bet.

This guy was the main striker for Italy's senior team, with him leaving, Italy will perform worse when they're already bad in the first place lol.

I think it's a bad decision, he might able to improve his national team if he play in top leagues, but he choose himself in this situation. Juventus already sign Jonathan David, much better than Rategui.

I know Italy will perform worse, I doubt he'll ever get call again because despite the fact that there are some good players, Saudi league is not seen as a very competitive and challenging league, therefore many managers don't think it's worth to call players playing in these leagues. It happened the same thing with Insigne and Bernardeschi: after winning the Euro Cup they moved to Canada and they lost their spot in the National team because the MLS is seen as a low level league. We still have Kean who, hopefully, will remain in Italy, or Europe at least.

Speaking about Retegui, it's true that his decision to move to the Saudi Arabian League has sparked controversy. Retegui is still too young to choose money over his career. Perhaps this is why many people are disappointed that Retegui would move to the Saudi Arabian League, or more specifically, to Al Qadisiyah. However, Retegui must have thought this through carefully, so it's impossible for him to have a vague plan. Therefore, we shouldn't dismiss Retegui's decision as entirely wrong, as he certainly has the right to determine his career path.

Regarding his future with the Italian national team, I believe that if Retegui can continue to perform well with Al Qadisiyah, he will remain a member of the Italian national team. Because, Many top European players who have joined the Saudi Arabian League are also regularly called up by their respective national teams. So, even if Retegui plays in the Saudi Arabian League, I think he still has a chance to represent the Italian national team. Because I don't think the Italian national team's management or analysis team are fools. So, if Retegui performs well, they'll definitely retain him, even if he plays in the Saudi Arabian league.

When you are 26 years old you are not "too young", at least for football, you are supposed to be in your prime at that point. Retegui improved a lot during the last 2 years, probably more than anybody would expect, but as I was saying he is not a world class player and he'll never be one so it makes sense he chose to go where he got offered a crazy amount of money.

Regarding the national team, Italy hardly call any player outside of Europe, we'll see if things will be different for Retegui.

[tygeade]

Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo can change a team but can not change a league and at their old ages, even changing a team is really hard task for them. They can play well but are no longer young and strong enough to change their clubs. How Cristiano Ronaldo and Messi have more regularly gotten bad results with their clubs in latest seasons shows this fact.

Al Ahli does not belong to biggest clubs list in Saudi Professional League and it's hard to convince Messi joining them. I also believe that Messi want his children to be grown up in a nation that is native English speaking and Saudi Arabia does not meet this condition.

Saudi Arabians are not after getting their teams to be great, I mean that would be a great side effect of course and they would love to, who wouldn't want that, but their transfers are not aimed at getting the best players in talent, their goal is to get the biggest names.

It means, if you get Messi and Ronaldo, then you have the PR of the century, and no need to win any games to be fair, you would be happy with the marketing you are getting, and while they would lose money on those salaries, they would at least get some attention and that PR is worth all the money. Plus they are rich, they have oil money, they do not need to do anything, they do not even have to work, they just have money from the ground for free, the money literally grows on trees for them so to speak, on ground at least, so they can spend it however they want like these.