Bengaluru, January 6: Portuguese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo's move to Al Nassr surely has brought a lot of limelight to the Saudi Pro League.
One of the greatest ever to grace the field, Ronaldo seems to have followed in the footstep of some of the legends of the game who chose a less-fancied league in the twilight of their careers for a greater paycheck.
Ronaldo is not the only recognized star who will be competing in Saudi Arabia. There are a few European stars who also are plying their trade in the country from the past few seasons.
Here is a look at five big names that Ronaldo will play with/against in the Saudi Pro League:
1. David Ospina
The Colombian international, who has been playing in the Saudi Pro League since the summer of 2022, will be the team-mate of Ronaldo at Al Nassr.
Ospina joined the side from Napoli last season and is currently the number one in the squad. The 34-year-old is well known for his stint with Nice in France, Arsenal in England, and Napoli in Italy.
2. Grzegorz Krychowiak
The Polish stalwart has been on a nomadic path since leaving La Liga side Sevilla and is currently plying his trade in Saudi with Al-Shabab FC since last summer.
The 32-year-old rose to fame during his stint with Sevilla and later PSG. But, since then his career has been on a downward curve.
He has gone on to play for the likes of West Bromwich Albion, Lokomotiv Moscow, FC Krasnodar, AEK Athens, etc. He, however, has been a star player in this league.
3. Helder Costa
The former Wolves and Leeds United player shockingly made a move to Al-Ittihad FC last summer to link up with his former manager Nuno Espirito Santo. The 28-year-old has been underwhelming so far and is yet to score a goal.
4. Odion Ighalo
Former Watford and Manchester United star Ighalo also competes in this competition and is one of the best players in this division. He joined Al-Hilal in 2022, having previously played for Al-Shabab. With 40 goals to his name from 55 appearances he is one of the best players in the league.
5. Matheus Pereira
The versatile attacker is known for his stints with Sporting Lisbon and West Bromwich. But at just 26 years of age, he left Europe for the riches and is currently playing for Al Hilal since the summer of 2021. He has enjoyed a success so far, helping the club win Saudi Pro League last season.