
Football
Share
Published 15:19 12 Dec 2023 GMT
Updated 15:19 12 Dec 2023 GMT

Cristiano Ronaldo's hopes of the Saudi Pro League becoming one of the best in the world look no closer to being realised after another embarrassing low was recorded.
Al Wehda's game against Al Okhdood saw just 575 people turn up to the 62,000-capacity King Abdulaziz Sports City Stadium - one of over 40 games to register numbers of less than 1,000 people.
To put that into perspective, 1,842 fans attended an eighth tier English game between Chasetown and Witton Albion on Saturday.
Some games in the Saudi Pro League have even had figures as low as 200.
This is in spite of the league bringing some of the biggest names in world football to their clubs.
Karim Benzema, Neymar, N'Golo Kante, Ruben Neves, Jordan Henderson and more all made the move in the summer but it appears to have failed to have captured the imagination of the locals.
Despite the small number of fans attending, Ronaldo still believes that the Saudi Pro League can establish itself as a dominant force in football.
He said: "We are much better and the Saudi league is getting better and the next year will be even better.
"Step-by-step I think this league will be among the top five leagues in the world but they need time, players and infrastructure.
"But I believe that this country have amazing potential, they have amazing people and the league will be great in my opinion."
Related links:
Explore more on these topics:
Red Roses Canada loss ends England’s 41-match unbeaten run
Canada seals historic win over England England’s dominance in women’s rugby has finally been brought to an end, with Canada producing a stunning late comeback to claim a 24-21 victory in front of thousands of fans in Toronto. The decisive moment arrived with only three minutes left on the clock, when Shoshanah Seumanutafa crossed for […]
Football
2 days ago
Former Sale Sharks player Hyron Andrews dies at team hotel in France
He was just 31 years old Former Sale Sharks player Hyron Andrews has died aged 31 at his team hotel in France. As reported by Ici La Rochelle, Andrews, a member of the South African team Lions, was found in the squad hotel on l’île de Ré, an island just off the coast of the […]
Football
3 days ago
Rees-Zammit demands end to artificial rugby pitches
Football