Sadio Mane Defends Saudi Pro League Days After Ronaldo Rates SPL Above French League

• Sadio Mane has backed C. Ronaldo's SPL claims
• The Senegalese insists he is happy in Saudi Arabia
• Mane helped Senegal reach the last 16 of AFCON

Al-Nassr star Sadio Mane has disclosed that he is happy playing in the Saudi Pro League after some players questioned the quality of the competition in the Asian country.

Mane's ex-teammate, Jordan Henderson described his short spell in Saudi Arabia as difficult while Aymeric Laporte claims players are dissatisfied in the country.

However, the Senegalese forward, who scored as the Teranga Lions progressed to the last 16 of the Africa Cup of Nations, has a different view of the league.

According to the 31-year-old, he is happy while praising the competitiveness of the Saudi top-flight league.

"That's what you think because I'm not in Europe. This is sad for you guys. Because, for you guys, if you don't play in Europe, it doesn't matter. I'm not around as a football player," he replied when asked about losing the kind of attention he gets playing in Europe at the Mixed Zone, as quoted by the Mirror.

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"Fortunately, I can say the Saudi league is a very good league, and watched by everybody in the world, so, for me, as long as I'm doing my best and I'm enjoying myself every single minute, that's more important. The rest, for me, doesn't matter," he added.

His comments come just hours after Cristiano Ronaldo had claimed the Saudi Pro League is better than the French Ligue 1.

"To be honest I think the Saudi League is not worse than the French League, in my opinion," said Ronaldo, as quoted by Sports Illustrated.

"In [the] French league I think you have two, three teams with a good level. In Saudi now I think it's more competitive. They can say whatever they want, it's just my opinion and I played there one year so I know what I'm talking about. But I think right now we are better than [the] French league, we still improve."

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Ronaldo and Mane have been key to Al-Nassr's success this season, winning the Arab Club Cup Championship at the beginning of the season.

Sadio Mane scores as Senegal beat Cameroon

Earlier, Sports Brief reported that Al-Nassr forward Sadio Mane scored as Senegal strolled to victory in their second group game against Cameroon in Yamoussoukro.

The 31-year-old finished off a brilliant move from the Teranga Lions to restore Senegal's two-goal advantage in the 90th minute.

The freshly-married forward and his Senegal teammates celebrated at the end of the game as the African champions advanced to the knockout stage with a match to spare.