A Chelsea icon has bluntly responded to Cristiano Ronaldo‘s assertion that the Saudi Pro League surpasses Ligue 1, telling the Al-Nassr player to ‘shut up’.

Ronaldo made the move to Al-Nassr in January 2023 after leaving Manchester United, joining a wave of stars who moved to Saudi Arabian clubs last summer, including Sadio Mane, Karim Benzema, and Neymar.

In January, Ronaldo expressed his opinion that only two or three teams in France are capable of contending for the title, contrasting it with the Saudi Pro League, which he views as more competitive.

He said: “The Saudis are in a process that will take long, but step by step, we will reach the highest level.

“I believe they are going to be in the top three or four in the world. Step by step, I think we are going to reach that.”

“The level right now? To be honest, I think the Saudi league is not worse than France’s league in my opinion.

“In the French league, I think you have two, three teams with a good level. In Saudi, I think it is more competitive.”

Frank Leboeuf, the former Chelsea defender, expressed his strong disapproval of Ronaldo’s comments, suggesting that Ronaldo’s criticism of Ligue 1 stemmed from his rivalry with Lionel Messi, who plays for Paris Saint-Germain.

Leboeuf told BetVictor: “It annoys me when I hear Cristiano Ronaldo saying that the Saudi Pro League is better than Ligue 1. Why do you think he chose to make that comment about Ligue 1 rather than the Portuguese League? It’s because Lionel Messi played in Ligue 1. I have lots of respect for him as a player but come on, just shut up! It is unfair to Ligue 1.”

Leboeuf also criticized Ronaldo further, suggesting that Portugal could win the Euros this summer without the 39-year-old’s presence. Additionally, he took a jab at Ronaldo, implying that money played a significant role in his decision to move to Saudi Arabia.

He said: “For me, Portugal are actually one of the contenders for this summer’s European Championships. I actually think they can win the Euros, but only if Cristiano Ronaldo doesn’t play.

“You cannot take away anything that Ronaldo has done for football just because he has gone to retire in the Saudi League. I want to thank him for taking the sport to another level, but there is an end for everyone. He has every right to play in Saudi Arabia, although I’m not sure he needed even more money!”

Leboeuf enjoyed a successful career, playing for Chelsea from 1996 to 2001 after starting at Laval and then moving to Strasbourg. He later played for Marseille before heading to Qatar to play for Al-Sadd and Al-Wakrah.

In recent years, PSG has dominated Ligue 1, winning the title nine times out of the last eleven seasons. Lille and Monaco are the only other clubs to have won the league during this period. Currently, PSG holds a nine-point lead at the top of Ligue 1.

In comparison, Al-Hilal has been the dominant force in the Saudi Pro League, winning the title five times in the same period. Al-Nassr has also been successful, winning the league three times. Other clubs like Al-Ittihad, Al-Ahli, and Al-Fateh have also claimed the league title.