Messi mania is taking over Major League Soccer. The Argentinian star was introduced at Inter Miami CF on Sunday after much anticipation about where he would sign.
But his rival friend Cristiano Ronaldo is not impressed.
After his team, Al-Nassr of the Saudi Pro League, lost to 5-0 in a friendly against Celta Vigo on Monday, Ronaldo was asked about the competition elsewhere and if he’d join Messi.
“No because in Arabia, the competition much better than in the United States,” he told reporters in Portuguese.
Ronaldo signed with Al-Nassr in December with a deal where he will make a reported $200 million per year. Since his move, other soccer stars including Karim Benzema and N’Golo Kante have signed with the Middle Eastern league. Messi was contemplating following suit before joining David Beckham’s MLS team.
Ronaldo also said that he’s closed the door on returning to Europe, where he starred at Manchester United, Juventus and Real Madrid.
“For Europe, I have clarity that I will not return to play,” he said. “I want to play in Arabia.”
Ronaldo debuted on the main stage of the Premier League with Manchester United in 2003 at the age of 18. He has won the Champions League five times and has taken home soccer’s highest individual honor, the Ballon d’Or, five times as well.
He reflected on his time in the sport and said the competition overall has declined.
“I am 38 and a half and it’s not worth it because my view of football is that in Europe, it’s lost a lot of quality,” he said. “… The only league in the world for me that has quality, that is a level superior to the others is the Premier League. I really think the Spanish league does not have great quality, the Portuguese league is good, but not a superior league in my opinion. The German league also I believe has lost a lot. So I can say that I won’t be returning to Europe.”
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Cristiano Ronaldo dismisses joining MLS after Lionel Messi’s intro
