Cristiano Ronaldo insists the Saudi Arabia World Cup ‘will probably be the best EVER’ – as the Portugal forward hails decision to award the country with the tournament for 2034

Cristiano Ronaldo has insisted the 2034 World Cup in Saudi Arabia will ‘probably be the best ever’ after the country were awarded the competition unopposed.

The country was awarded the tournament, which will take place in ten years’ time, at a FIFA congress on Wednesday, after no alternative candidates had come forward.

The cheer from the footballing nations, rather than a vote, ended a rapid 14-month process in which the Middle Eastern nation has made an unprecedented march to win the right to host the finals.

The bid was open to any country from the Asia and Oceania regions that felt they could host a 104-match competition, with Saudi Arabia the only real contender.

There are concerns that the tournament will have to take place in January due to the extreme temperatures in summer, but the country already has detailed plans to build some mega-stadiums for the tournament.

And now Ronaldo, who plays for Al-Nassr in the Saudi Pro League, has given his verdict on the decision, and it is full of praise.

The Middle Eastern country was awarded the tournament on Wednesday after there was no opposition

Ronaldo gave glowing reviews of the country while praising several of its features

“It’s amazing,” he said after his recent tour of the Saudi Arabia FIFA World Cup 2034 Bid Exhibition in Riyadh. ‘I didn’t expect it, but it’s so, so, so good.

‘The 2034 World Cup will probably be the best World Cup ever. After what I saw today, I’m confident it will be great. The infrastructure, the stadiums, the conditions for the fans, the airports and everything else, it’s amazing.”

‘The future [in Saudi Arabia] is very smart in my opinion, not only for the World Cup, but because they organize big events here every year – football matches, boxing; the quality of the entertainment is very high. The country is incredible. The Saudis are very good people; they like to learn, which is very important to me.’

‘One or two of the kids I met today could play in the World Cup – we don’t know, but I hope so. I will motivate them to work hard and believe in it.’

Ronaldo was one of the first high-profile players to join the Saudi League following a major cash injection into a number of clubs in the country when he joined Al-Nassr in the winter of 2023, with others soon following.

The likes of Neymar, Ngolo Kante and Sadio Mane have all played for some of the top teams in the league as it looks to continue to grow.

Ronaldo, who will turn 50 when the World Cup takes place and whose home country Portugal was awarded the 2030 title alongside Spain and Morocco, has backed the league to continue doing so.

“The league has grown so quickly, even in the last year,” he added. “If you look at the difference over that time, it’s amazing. You now have seven or eight big clubs, all of which are very difficult to beat.

‘I see a very big difference in the evolution of the players. For example, I feel like Saudi Arabia is growing so fast that they are becoming better players themselves.

‘The slogan from 2034 ‘Grow. Together.’ is beautiful, because that is what we all have to do. We have to grow together in everything, not just in football, but in everything in life.

“I believe that Saudi Arabia will continue to grow and I am happy to be part of this success in the country. I will definitely be here to watch the World Cup.”