Ronaldo goals prove Saudi league quality - Neves

Former Wolverhampton Wanderers defender Ruben Neves says Cristiano Ronaldo's winner against Scotland was different changeable crossed nan bows of those who mobility nan value of Saudi Arabia's home football.

The 27-year-old Neves helped Al-Halil triumph nan title aft his move past summer, while seasoned guardant Ronaldo's Al-Nassr were runners-up.

And Ronaldo followed up his record-breaking 900th profession extremity against Croatia connected Thursday by coming disconnected nan chair to people nan decisive precocious extremity against nan Scots arsenic Portugal began their Nations League Group A1 run pinch 2 2-1 location wins.

Asked astir nan 39-year-old's continued effect contempt now playing successful nan Saudi Pro League, Neves told nan Portugal FA website: "I induce those group to watch Saudi football."

He added: "I person said this a fewer times - if you comparison my GPS information from English shot to Saudi football, I tally moreover more, but pinch nan quality that I tally successful 40 degrees [celsius].

"I americium successful bully style physically. Both Cristiano and I proved coming that Saudi shot has quality."

Neves suggested it is "of course" realistic for Ronaldo to execute his caller target of 1,000 goals arsenic "with Cristiano, thing is possible".

Head coach Roberto Martinez explained that Ronaldo was connected nan chair aft starting against Croatia because "Cristiano can't play 2 90-minute games" truthful adjacent together astatine his age.

"Cristiano is successful a very bully moment," he said. "It's September, he's played 3 games for nan club. The important point is that we request to protect each nan players.

"I liked his commitment. He's an unthinkable player."

As against Croatia, Ronaldo was group up by a Nuno Mendes cross, nan Paris St-Germain left-back having besides travel connected arsenic a substitute against Scotland.

However, for illustration his manager, Mendes stressed that it was a corporate effort to unafraid a "deserved victory" aft "a very reliable game", having to conflict backmost from an early Scott McTominay extremity to triumph 2-1.

Manchester United midfielder Bruno Fernandes fired nan second-half equaliser but stressed it was "not a perfect" 30th day arsenic he would "have preferred it to beryllium little difficult".

"Cristiano Ronaldo's power is ever nan same, sloppy of whether he starts nan crippled aliases starts connected nan bench," he added.