Little known a few months ago, the Saudia Pro League hits hard in this summer transfer window. Very big names in European football have joined the Saudi championship which wishes to develop and become a stronghold of world football. Formerly attractive for players at the end of their career and in search of higher remuneration, the Saudi league displays an unprecedented sporting ambition.
Cristiano Ronaldo, the five-time Golden Ball winner who joined Al-Nassr in January 2023, represents the biggest blow in local football. This summer, the biggest names in European football were announced to leave for Saudi Arabia… Which concluded the notable arrivals of the 2022 Ballon d’or Karim Benzema (Al-Ittihad), of the 2018 French world champion N’Golo Kanté (Al-Ittihad) or the European champion and champion of England with Liverpool, the Brazilian Roberto Firmino (Al-Ahli). Among these many stars, discover our 11 type of the Saudi championship.
Edouard Mendy: trained in France, the Senegalese goalkeeper appeared in Ligue 1 first at Stade de Reims then at Stade Rennais before being spotted by Chelsea. With the Blues he won the Champions League in 2021 at the end of an exceptional season where he finished best goalkeeper of the season in Europe. He officially joined the Al Ahli club for 18.5 million euros on July 1.
Marcel Tisserand: The 30-year-old Franco-Congolese centre-back left Ligue 1 a long time ago. Trained at Monaco and spent time in Lens and Toulouse in his youth, he left Fenerbahçe in 2022 to join Al-Ettifaq against 3 million euros.
Kalidou Koulibaly: The captain of the Senegalese team will have spent only one season in the Premier League at Chelsea after a transfer of 38 million euros which will not have been very conclusive. On July 1, 2023 he signed for the Al Hilal club (last 3rd in the Saudi championship) for 23 million euros.
Ghislain Konan: the 27-year-old Ivorian left-hander plays for the Al Nassr club which he joined in 2022 after leaving Stade de Reims on his own.
Ruben Neves: the Portuguese trained in Porto (26 years old) left Wolverhampton this summer for Al-Hilal against 55 million. Unlike the majority of players who arrive after 30 years, it was in the middle of his career that Neves was tempted by the project.
Marcelo Brozovic: finalist of the 2018 World Cup with Croatia and of the last Champions League with Inter, the 2021 Italian champion has just flown to Al Nassr on July 3 against 18 million euros.
N’Golo Kanté: the 2018 world champion with the Blues and European champion with Chelsea in 2021 comes out of an almost white season with the London club due to injuries in particular, before joining the last champion of Saudi Arabia freely , Al Ittihad.
Ever Banega: It’s been a long time since the Argentinian dropped off European radars. However, the former Sevilla player (three-time winner of the Europa League 2015, 2016, 2020) and Valencia had a good end to his career with Al Shabab, where he scored 7 goals for 11 assists in his first season in 2020/2021.
Cristiano Ronaldo: CR7 experienced the heights of football before attempting the Al Nassr challenge in early 2023 after the World Cup in Qatar, where he receives an annual salary of 200 million euros.
Karim Benzema: Same salary for Karim Benzema, but in Al Ittihad side. Champion of Europe and Spain on many occasions with Real Madrid, Benzema will face Ronaldo next season who have long played together in the Spanish capital. KB9 launched hostilities in the crazy transfer window of Saudi clubs by signing freely at 35, 14 years after arriving at Real from OL.
Roberto Firmino: the Brazilian is the latest arrival in the Saudia Pro League, he who has just settled down at Al Ahli free, at 31 years old and after 8 seasons with the Reds.
Nuno Espirito Santo: the 49-year-old Portuguese has been on the bench for Al Ittihad for a year (after leaving Tottenham in 2021) where he will notably train Karim Benzema and N’Golo Kanté next season.
