Comparing Saudi and Major League Soccer Leagues After Ronaldo, Messi Moves

Cristiano Ronaldo recently aimed a dig at his long-time rival Lionel Messi for moving to the Major League Soccer, terming it less competitive and alluring than the Saudi Pro League.

The two have managed to dominate headlines for the last 15-plus years and are set to continue doing so, even after exiting Europe.

Ronaldo caused a domino effect when he joined Saudi giants Al-Nassr in January after his Manchester United contract was ripped up. He has since been followed to the Middle East country by other world-beating stars like Karim Benzema, N'Golo Kante and Kalidou Koulibaly. Kylian Mbappe could be headed there as well, should he accept the lucrative offer from Al-Hilal.

Messi meanwhile rejected advances from Suadi Arabia and a sensational return to Barcelona to join Inter Miami in Major League Soccer. He has since been joined by Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets, with deals for Luis Suarez and Andres Iniesta reportedly being discussed.

The debate on who is the greatest of all time will never cease, with the quality of the leagues both stars are playing in set to be introduced as a new parameter. Sports Brief compares and contrasts the two leagues with additional information from Sun Sport.

1. Money and salaries

The Saudi League is not bound by Financial Fair Play Rules and can spend as much as they want on any player without fearing any sort of repercussions. This explains why they are ready to spend 1 billion dollars on the Mbappe deal. Ronaldo is believed to be on 200 million dollars every year at Al-Nassr, as reported by Marca.

Messi, on the other hand, had to settle for a modest salary of around 54 million dollars per year. The David Beckham-owned side would probably hand the Argentine a higher paycheck, but MLS clubs have a wage cap of 5.2 million per season. However, there's a clause of designated players that allows the clubs to spend more on specific players, as AS reports.

2. Branding and advertisements

Given the United States' technological advancements, Major League Soccer offers better grounds for a player to position his brand.

Both Messi and Ronaldo are already brands in themselves, but the former is set to receive more money in off-field earnings from deals with the likes of Adidas, Apple and Pepsi.

The majority of these companies are based in the United States and Europe, with the seven-time Ballon d'Or winner being the face of many of them already.

Ronaldo meanwhile has deals with Nike and his own companies, like the CR7 underwear.

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3. Competitions

Major League Soccer is divided into two conferences of 15 teams each. There is no fear of relegation at the end of the season, otherwise, Messi's side would be at great risk this season. The top eight teams at the end of the season proceed to playoffs, as reported by Sports Brief.

The MLS also has the US Cup, which is similar to the FA Cup plus the League's Cup, where teams from Mexico play as well. This is the competition where Messi made his bow in North America.

The teams from Mexico and US then join others from Central America and the Caribbean to play in the CONCACAF Champions Cup, which is the equivalent of the UEFA Champions League. The winner gets a ticket to play in the Club World Cup.

Saudi Arabia's top teams play in the AFC Champions League for a chance to play in the Club World Cup. They also have the Arab Champions Cup, which features clubs from Arab countries. The King's Cup is another competition which Ronaldo's Al-Nassr were eliminated from at the semifinals stage last season.

4. Quality of players

Messi is definitely the biggest player to grace MLS, but before his arrival, the league had boasted of big names already like Thierry Henry, Wayne Rooney Beckham and Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

The MLS has been used to all the fanfare that the Saudi League is slowly warming up to, with Ronaldo's arrival opening doors for other big names o follow suit.

5. Lifestyle and laws

Saudi Arabia visitors are subject to strict laws. Reports indicated that the laws had to be relaxed to allow Ronaldo to live with his partner Georgina Rodriguez whom he is yet to marry officially.

Alcohol is prohibited in the country as well, which is in complete contrast with almost all towns in the United States. Miami, where Messi will be stationed, is particularly known for its vibrant nature and high-end partying lifestyles.

From the foregoing, it is hard to draw a verdict on which is better, but with the mass exodus of top players to Saudi Arabia in recent weeks, the league might as well be a force to reckon with in subsequent seasons.