Premier League chief reacts to Saudi League comparison after comments from Ronaldo and Toney

Premier League executive Karren Brady rubbished the claim from the likes of Ivan Toney and Cristiano Ronaldo that the Saudi Pro League was comparable to the top five European leagues. 

Ronaldo has been the leading ambassador of the Saudi Pro League, in words and deeds. On multiple occasions, he claimed that the SPL was one of the most competitive leagues in the world and even superior to the French Ligue 1. 

Former Brentford striker Ivan Toney, who now plies his trade for Al Ahli in the Gulf,  toed the same line in a recent interview in which he said that the top teams in Saudi could finish top four in the Premier League. 

Writing in her column for the Sun, Brady, who is the vice chairman of West Ham United, rubbished the suggestion that the Saudi League was anywhere close to the Premier League. 

“Ivan Toney's claim that the Saudi Pro League is on a par with the Premier League left me gobsmacked,” Brady said. 

“Footballers have every right to ply their trade where they want. But to put Saudi’s nascent project — going since 2008 — alongside the world’s gold standard in football isn’t just a stretch; it’s nonsense.

“The Saudi Pro League just isn’t widely watched, even in Saudi Arabia. Last term’s average gate was 8,354, with our League One at 10,102 and League Two 6,090. With huge investment, the Saudi Pro League will perhaps one day reach a competitive standard worth genuine respect. But it won’t for a long time be on a par with the Prem.”