A Chelsea legend has criticized Cristiano Ronaldo for his recent comments comparing the Saudi Pro League to Ligue 1, urging the football star to “shut up” and questioning his motives behind the comparison.
Ronaldo, who joined Al-Nassr in January 2023, suggested that the Saudi Pro League is more competitive than Ligue 1, stating, “To be honest, I think the Saudi league is not worse than France’s league in my opinion.”
Reacting to Ronaldo’s remarks, former Chelsea defender Frank Leboeuf expressed his discontent, implying that Ronaldo’s criticism of Ligue 1 stemmed from his rivalry with Lionel Messi, who currently plays for Paris Saint-Germain.
Leboeuf remarked, “It annoys me when I hear Cristiano Ronaldo saying that the Saudi Pro League is better than Ligue 1. Why do you think he chose to make that comment about Ligue 1 rather than the Portuguese League? It’s because Lionel Messi played in Ligue 1. I have lots of respect for him as a player but come on, just shut up! It is unfair to Ligue 1.”
Furthermore, Leboeuf criticized Ronaldo’s move to Saudi Arabia, suggesting that financial gain might have been a motivating factor.
He also questioned Ronaldo’s importance to the Portuguese national team, implying that Portugal could succeed in the Euros without him.
“For me, Portugal are actually one of the contenders for this summer’s European Championships. I actually think they can win the Euros, but only if Cristiano Ronaldo doesn’t play,” Leboeuf stated.