'Not a league that helps you grow'- World Cup winner slams Coman for joining Ronaldo at Al-Nassr

Former France international and 1998 FIFA World Cup winner Bixente Lizarazu has blasted Kingsley Coman for joining the Saudi Pro League.

Recall that the ex-Bayern Munich star switched the Allianz Arena for the gold-country of Saudi Arabia in August 2025 in a €25.00m deal.

Coman who joined Bayern Munich from Juventus in 2015 bagged 20 trophies in his 10-year spell in Germany, and will be famously remembered for scoring the solitary goal that won the 2020 UEFA Champions League against PSG.

Lizarazu, who played at leftback when Les Bleus defeated Brazil 3-0 at the 1998 FIFA World Cup on home soil, told Telefoot (via Tribal Football) that he's not convinced that Coman's move to Saudi Arabia was football related.

He said: "No one will be able to convince me that going to Saudi Arabia is a sporting choice."

According to the former Athletic Bilbao and Bayern Munich defender, the Saudi League where Cristiano Ronaldo plies his trade is not a league that encourages growth. Lizarazu feels Coman could have joined a top European club.

"It's not a league that helps you grow. Coman could have played in a major European league, in England for example. It's not a choice that pushes you to the top"

"(Al-Ittihad's N'Golo) Kanté was recalled to the national team anyway, but there's a sort of sporting retreat here, considering that Coman is still young," he said.

Lizarazu's comments appear to be in conflict with that of Cristiano Ronaldo who believes that the Saudi Pro League is competitive enough and should be counted amongst the top five leagues in the world.

On his part, Kingsley Coman explained that Portuguese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo played a huge role in helping him move to Saudi Arabia.

He said: “After spending so many years at Bayern, I no longer had the same impact at the club.

“Then Al Nassr came and offered me a new project, where I would be among the players at the heart of this project. And I thought to myself, why not?”

Coman also added that he received a phone call from Ronaldo and that the lure of winning trophies with Al Nassr was enough motivation for him to join the project.

“Yes, he called me, I had already given my agreement a little earlier, and then he called me.’ And he reiterated what the management had told me, that the club hasn’t won trophies for several years, and that they are ready to give everything to win trophies this year and that I could help with my experience, considering the fact that I have already won many trophies at the clubs I’ve played for.

“And I really hope that at the end of this season, we will be able to celebrate titles,” he concluded.

Kingsley Coman has played two games since joining Al Nassr, scoring once and bagging one assist.