Cristiano Ronaldo made big headlines this week by claiming the Saudi Pro League is “much better” than Major League Soccer, even with Lionel Messi playing for Inter Miami.
The Portuguese even suggested the competition he’s in now is surpassing other European leagues who lost a lot of quality, except for the Premier League. He even pointed out that more world-renowned stars are joining him in the Gulf state.
While Ronaldo may have his reasons, others can also explain why they think MLS is better. We’re not going to dig deep into this debate, but we will take a look at how much each league is reportedly worth.
MLS vs. Saudi Pro League: How much is each competition worth?
According to Argentine outlet Olé, all 29 teams give MLS a $1,391,013,400 market value, while the Saudi Pro League clubs make up a total of $611,316,735. However, it’s important to note that the US league has more teams than the Saudi competition.
But the three most valuable teams in Saudi Arabia are reportedly way more expensive than those in the United States. Al-Hilal are worth $157,779,060, Al-Nassr have a market value of $135,825,727 and Al-Ittihad are valued at $86,411,098. Inter Miami ($79,198,021), New York City ($74,879,148) and LAFC ($62,146,889) are below those numbers.
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Cristiano Ronaldo throws shade at Lionel Messi, MLS
But in MLS there’s more parity, since the three cheapest teams make up a total of $101,745,898, while the three clubs with lower market value in the Saudi Pro League make $13,809,172 combined.
