Al Nassr forward Cristiano Ronaldo said the 2034 World Cup, which will be held in Saudi Arabia, will probably be “the best World Cup ever” played. The Portuguese star will be nearly 50 years old when it is held.
FIFA on Wednesday confirmed that Saudi Arabia will host the 2034 World Cup, underlining the Gulf kingdom’s growing influence in world sport despite criticism of the country’s human rights record.
The awarding of the World Cup to Saudi will make the issue of human rights a major talking point again, just as it was two years ago. However, some football stars who are playing in the Saudi league like Cristiano Ronaldo are pleased with FIFA’s choice.
“It’s amazing. I didn’t expect it, but it is so, so, so good. The 2034 World Cup will probably be the best World Cup ever. After what I’ve seen today, I’m convinced that it will be amazing. The infrastructure, the stadiums, the conditions for the fans, the airports, and everything else, it’s amazing,” he told reporters.
“The future [in Saudi Arabia] is very bright in my opinion, not only for the World Cup, but because every year they host big events here – football matches, boxing. The quality of entertainment is very high. The country is unbelievable. The Saudis are very good people; they like to learn, which for me is very important,” Ronaldo concluded.