"I think I would have been better” - Marco van Basten says he could have outshone Cristiano Ronaldo if he played till 38 

Dutch legend Marco van Basten reckons he would have been a better player than Cristiano Ronaldo if he was still playing at 38.

Ronaldo has been turning back the years with inspired performances in the Saudi Pro League with Al Nassr. He has bagged 20 goals in 25 games across competitions since making the blockbuster move to Mrsool Park in December.

However, Van Basten has talked up his prowess of outperforming the iconic forward if he were to have prolonged his career. The AC Milan legend retired at the age of 31 due to persistent injuries. He said when discussing players similar to himself in today's game (via TheEuropeanLad):

"Players like me nowadays? Lewandowski looks a bit like me. Cristiano Ronaldo, I think I get close to that. Except he is physically stronger than I was. He is 38 and still active.

"But I would have liked to see how things turned out if I could have played until the age of 38, I think I would have been better."

Van Basten is highly regarded as one of football's greats following an incredible career. He was a prolific attacker who bagged 125 goals and 49 assists in 201 games for AC Milan and 152 goals and 33 assists in 172 games for Ajax.

The Swan of Utrecht was renowned for his elegance on the ball and acrobatic goalscoring technique. He won the Ballon d'Or three times during his illustrious career.

However, an ankle injury cut short Van Basten's career, and he last played at the age of 28. He retired two years later but left a legacy on the sport before entering management with Ajax and the Netherlands national team.

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Neymar defends Cristiano Ronaldo for joining Saudi Pro League

Neymar sealed a big-money move to Al Hilal.

Cristiano Ronaldo's move to Al Nassr in January was a game-changer for Saudi football. The Portuguese icon's groundbreaking arrival in the Middle East has lured more stars to the Saudi Pro League.

The likes of Karim Benzema, N'Golo Kante and Riyad Mahrez have followed Ronaldo to Saudi. Neymar has become the latest high-profile arrival after the Brazilian joined Al Hilal from Paris Saint-Germain for €90 million.

The 31-year-old gave his first interview as a new Al Hilal player. He took time to praise Ronaldo as the pioneer of Saudi football, telling the club's media:

"Cristiano Ronaldo was the pioneer of the historic change that took place in the Saudi league.

"When he joined the league, they used to say he was crazy, but now you can see the great development that is happening in the league. Facing Cristiano Ronaldo and his team will be amazing."

Ronaldo's arrival in the Saudi Pro League has seen a vast improvement from not only the sporting aspect of the league but also commercially. The Portuguese icon has brought more eyes to Saudi football and evidently more talent.