Ligue 1 shamed Cristiano Ronaldo after their clubs’ stellar performance in the group phase of the current Champions League
Cristiano Ronaldo may believe that the Saudi Pro League is superior to Ligue 1, but statistics tell a different story.
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According to Opta, Ligue 1 has emerged as the best-performing league in the UEFA Champions League group stage, outperforming the Premier League, LaLiga, and other top European divisions.
What Ronaldo said about Ligue 1
Al Nassr star Cristiano Ronaldo recently stirred controversy by claiming that the Saudi Pro League is better than Ligue 1.
Cristiano Ronaldo leads the top scorers’ chart. | Imago
The Portuguese legend, who joined Al Nassr in January 2022, dismissed Ligue 1’s competitiveness, saying, “The Saudi League is better than Ligue 1, of course. France only has PSG. The rest are finished. Try to sprint in 38, 39, 40-degree weather and see…”
While Ronaldo chose to play in Saudi Arabia, his long-time rival Lionel Messi spent time in Ligue 1 with PSG before moving to Inter Miami and is believed to have sparked the Portuguese legend’s scathing remarks against the French league since then.
Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. (Photo Credit: Imago)
Despite the debate, the numbers do not lie—Ligue 1 is proving its strength on the biggest stage, and could be a force to reckon with in the Champions League knockout rounds.
Ligue 1 dominates Champions League standings
All four French clubs involved—Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), AS Monaco, Brest, and Lille—have successfully advanced past the group stage, with France also becoming the only country where all representatives finished in the top half of the standings.
George Ilenikhena scored Monaco’s second goal against Barcelona | Imago
This feat contradicts Ronaldo’s claim that Ligue 1 is a one-team league dominated solely by Paris Saint Germain, with Les Parisiens even finishing behind Lille.
Despite facing tough opposition like Liverpool, Juventus, Real Madrid, Barcelona, and Atlético Madrid, Ligue 1 teams have thrived in Europe’s top competition.
Notably, Lille secured direct qualification to the Round of 16 by finishing 7th in the standings, and they will face one of Sporting CP, Brugge, Atalanta, or Borussia Dortmund in the next round.
PSG defeated Man City 4-2 in the Champions League league phase | IMAGO
Meanwhile, PSG climbed to 15th place after a convincing 4-1 away win against Stuttgart, ensuring they will face a fellow French side in the play-off round. Their opponent will be either Monaco (17th) or Brest (18th), proving that French teams are not just surviving but excelling in the competition.
As Ronaldo has said it, so it is