Cristiano Ronaldo was left speechless by the presence of Saudis, while only 22% of them showed up to see him

Despite being the face of the Saudi Pro League, it appears that Cristiano Ronaldo's move to the country has done little to boost local interest in the long term as the league continues to struggle with low attendances.

Ronaldo's move to Al-Nassr has been hailed as a game-changer in world football, with fans, players and pundits all expressing concerns that the league could even eclipse some of Europe's biggest divisions as teams have begun to splurge on top-flight talent.

Despite the signings of Neymar, Sadio Mane, Steven Gerrard and Karim Benzema, football does not seem to be gaining as much momentum in Saudi Arabia as many had anticipated. Statistics reveal that only 35.8% and 12.3% of seats were filled for Al-Nassr's first two games of the new season, which could be seen as a blow to Ronaldo's ego.

Al Nassr's home draw against Al Raed attracted just 8,951 fans in a stadium that holds 25,000, while the 4-1 win over Al Feiha attracted just 4,195 in a 34,000 capacity venue. These figures suggest that Ronaldo, used to playing in front of massive crowds at Old Trafford and the Santiago Bernabeu, has so far played in front of just 13,146 fans this season out of a possible 59,000, a dismal 22%.

Concerns over declining attendances at matches have been hotly debated in relation to the Saudi Pro League. While teams continue to sign stars, it appears the sport's expansion in the region is not going as planned, the Mirror reports.

Some high-profile signings are already heading back to Europe, with former Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson and former Newcastle winger Allan Saint-Maximin ending their Middle Eastern adventures, opting for Ajax and Fenerbahce respectively. Yet Ronaldo disagrees with the gloomy outlook.

In a conversation with Rio Ferdinand for his YouTube channel UR Cristiano, the Portuguese talisman reflected on his new residence and shared his enchantment with Saudi Arabia.

“It’s spiritual, you feel the energy,” he said. “They also have the Red Sea, even in the mountains there is snow, they have everything. It’s a lovely country and I love being there with my family. The adaptation for me was not too difficult and I am happy there.”

Asked by Ferdinand about the potential difficulties of the Saudi Pro League, the former Real Madrid player conceded that each league has its own challenges. Although he admitted that the climate was a major obstacle to overcome, Ronaldo remained firm in his belief about the quality and growth of the league.

“All leagues are different and in my opinion people talk more than they really know,” Ronaldo said. “All leagues have problems, but the league and other players will tell you, it's not easy. It's very difficult, plus it's very hot and when it's hot it's more difficult to maintain the level of play.”

He added: “In my opinion the league is very, very good and they continue to grow and improve. I'm happy because I was the pioneer of football for the country, so I'm happy with that.”