"Wouldn't be surprised if they have offered more money to Messi" - Former manager says Cristiano Ronaldo's transfer to Al Nassr is just the start

Former Al Nassr manager Galician Raul Caneda recently claimed that signing Cristiano Ronaldo is just the start of an exodus of big stars to Saudi Arabia. Caneda added that he wouldn't be surprised if Lionel Messi got a more extensive offer than his Portuguese rival.

The Spaniard has managed two of the most important teams in Saudi Arabia: Al-Ittihad in 2012-13 and, in two stages (2014 and 2016), Al Nassr. The latter club has completed a staggering €200 million per year deal for former Manchester United and Real Madrid striker Ronaldo.

Speaking of Saudi Arabia's ambitions in football, the arrival of Cristiano Ronaldo, and the challenges the Portuguese will face after his latest move, Caneda said (via Diario AS):

''A very demanding championship. I remember that I arrived at Al-Ittihad in February and I was the third coach of that campaign. I have the record in the history of matches without losing for that team, but mine is without having changed coaches because there is another record in which they changed coaches even without losing.''

He continued:

''A clear distinction must be made between the countries of the Persian Gulf. Emirates and Qatar are very small, Saudi Arabia is the largest and with a very important tradition. For me, their football is equivalent to Turkey. There is great economic power, and it is difficult for good players to get out of there because they are extremely well paid.''

Caneda also reflected upon the ambitions of Saudi Arabian clubs and the country itself in the future in the wake of the Ronaldo signing. When quizzed over Cristiano Ronaldo's massive offer, the Spaniard claimed that other players also get decent pay in Saudi.

''Not that, of course. But three or four million net can be perfectly earned by the stars there," he said. "I wouldn't be surprised if they have offered more money to Lionel Messi, or if they begin to invest a lot of money in other of the most important footballers in the European leagues.''

''The Cristiano thing can be a warning: Al-Nassr's rivals will also want their share of the cake from him," Caneda added. "It is evident that in Arabia the State wants to aspire to great things, it is not going to stop at Ronaldo. They have bought Newcastle and want to boost their league to the extreme, put it among the 10 best championships in the world.''

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Cristiano Ronaldo fans claim his presentation at Al Nassr had more hype than Lionel Messi's World Cup win

Cristiano Ronaldo fans have claimed that his recent presentation at Al Nassr, a Saudi Arabian football club, was more hyped than Lionel Messi's World Cup win with Argentina.

Ronaldo, who recently joined the club on a massive deal, was greeted by a large crowd of fans at his presentation. The two fan bases have since gone against each other ever since.

Here are some of the comments on Twitter: