After Cristiano Ronaldo made the switch to the Saudi Pro League last December and Lionel Messi confirmed his move to the MLS this summer, many have been asking which is the more competitive league.
For over a decade, big-name stars have been moving to the United States in search of a new challenge towards the end of their careers, but Ronaldo was the first superstar to go to Saudi Arabia.
The Middle Eastern nation's involvement in football has risen massively over the past year. From the controversial takeover of Premier League club Newcastle United to a shock victory over eventual World Cup winners Argentina.
The investment in the game has been huge and now several top stars are swapping Europe for the Saudi Pro League, with Karim Benzema, N'Golo Kante, Ruben Neves and Jordan Henderson among those who have already made the popular switch.However, according to Opta Analyst, the MLS remains superior.
A study looked at the average power rating of MLS clubs (73.2) and compared it with clubs playing in the Saudi Pro League (70). The Pro League ranks seven places below the MLS in the world league rankings (36th).
Despite Saudi’s top clubs boasting more quality, 13 of the 14 lowest-ranked clubs out of both divisions play in the Pro League.
Both leagues are taking very different approaches to help grow the game in their respective countries.The MLS has strict spending rules that only allow teams to have a certain number of players on their roster who are paid over the league’s salary cap, while they also prioritise the development of home-grown talent.
On the other hand, the Saudi Pro League has so far amassed a net spend of £372m in this transfer window alone, as reported by the Financial Times.
As America prepares to jointly host the World Cup in 2026, can Saudi Arabia keep up and eventually surpass MLS in terms of overall quality?
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