Cristiano Ronaldo has stated that the 2034 Saudi Arabia World Cup ‘will probably be the best ever’ after the country was announced as the host nation.
At a FIFA Congress on Wednesday, the country was awarded the tournament after no other candidates presented themselves.
The acclamation of football nations, rather than a vote, brought to an end a quick 14-month process that saw the Middle Eastern country make an unprecedented march to earn the right to host the finals.
Ronaldo, who plays for Al-Nassr in the Saudi Pro League, has weighed in on FIFA’s decision to appoint Saudi Arabia the tournament’s host nation.
“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 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.”
“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.”
“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 that.”