Al Hilal’s Ruben Neves believes Cristiano Ronaldo’s winning goal against Scotland serves as yet another warning to those who doubt the standard of Saudi Arabian domestic football.
Neves, who played a key role in Al Hilal’s domestic double last season, and Al Nassr’s Ronaldo were both introduced at halftime during Portugal’s UEFA Nations League match yesterday, with the Euro 2016 champions trailing by a goal.
The duo sparked a comeback, with Portugal overturning the deficit to secure a 2-1 victory, thanks to Ronaldo's 901st career goal in the 88th minute at the Estadio da Luz.
The late winner marked Ronaldo's 14th international goal since joining Al Nassr in December 2022, prompting Neves to challenge those who question the quality of the Saudi Pro League compared to Europe’s top tiers.
“I invite those people to watch Saudi football,” Neves told the Portugal FA website when asked about Ronaldo’s continued influence despite playing in Saudi Arabia.
He added: "I have said this a few times - if you compare my GPS data from English football to Saudi football, I run even more, but with the difference that I run in 40 degrees.
"I am in good shape physically. Both Cristiano and I proved today that Saudi football has quality."
In a sit-down interview with Rio Ferdinand on his YouTube channel last month, Ronaldo revealed his ambition to reach 1,000 career goals, estimating he could hit the milestone by the age of 41.
After Ronaldo set an SPL record with 35 goals last season, Neves suggested it’s "of course" realistic for Portugal’s No.7 to achieve this goal, adding, "with Cristiano, anything is possible."
