Cristiano Ronaldo Is Not the Main Promoter of the Saudi League!
Abdullah Fleteh, a Saudi football veteran, asserts that Al-Ittihad's passionate fans have played a more significant role in elevating the Saudi Pro League's popularity than Cristiano Ronaldo's presence.
Since Cristiano Ronaldo joined Al-Nassr in January 2023, the popularity of the Saudi Pro League has noticeably increased, leading to the addition of other star players to Saudi football. Within two years of Ronaldo's arrival, Saudi clubs have attracted some of the world's best players, including Neymar, Karim Benzema, and Riyad Mahrez.
However, Abdullah Fleteh, a legend of Al-Ittihad, believes that Ronaldo is not the primary marketer of the Saudi League. He contends that the passionate fans of Al-Ittihad have been more instrumental in boosting the league's popularity. In an interview with Al-Riyadh newspaper, Fleteh stated, "Ronaldo didn't come here just to join Al-Nassr; he came to enhance the quality of the Saudi League and its sports projects. But in my view, Al-Ittihad and its enthusiastic fans have been the main promoters of the Pro League so far."
Fleteh highlighted that despite Al-Ittihad winning the league only once in the past ten years, their fans consistently have the highest stadium attendance and have been recognized as the most popular team in the competition six times during this period.