England striker Ivan Toney has claimed that the Saudi Pro League is on the same level with the English Premier League, insisting that Al-Ahli would compete for a top four finish if they competed in the English top flight.
Toney left the Premier League last summer when joining Al-Ahli from Brentford and has already won two titles in his first year in the Middle East.
The Saudi Pro League’s biggest star, Cristiano Ronaldo, has repeatedly claimed that the competition should be considered among the top five leagues in the world.
He even aimed a dig at his eternal rival, Lionel Messi, by saying that the Saudi league is already better than Major League Soccer in the United States and France’s Ligue 1.
Toney has now gone one step further than Ronaldo, claiming that the Saudi Pro League is “on par” with the Premier League.
Speaking to The Guardian (via goal.com), he said: “Ronaldo has been around the world and probably knows a lot more than me, as I have only played in the Premier League, the Championship and Leagues One and Two. For me, [the Pro League] is on a par with the Premier League.
“If [Al-Ahli] were in the Premier League, we’d give it a good go and we’d be close to the top four. It is a quality league and people should not turn their noses up. We saw Al-Hilal play against Man City [at the Club World Cup] and beat them.”
Toney enjoyed a successful first season in Saudi Arabia as he scored 23 league goals in 30 appearances, two short of Ronaldo’s tally.
Pairing up with the likes of Roberto Firmino – who left Al-Ahli this summer – and Riyad Mahrez in the attack, Toney also helped the club win the AFC Champions League title last season. At the start of the 2025-26 campaign, Al-Ahli lifted the Saudi Super Cup.
