Midseason review of Roshn Saudi Pro League 2023-2024

Al-Hilal are top of the Roshn Saudi League as it returns following the lengthy AFC. (Asian Cup break X/@Alhilal_FC)
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Updated 14 August 2024
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Midseason review of Roshn Saudi Pro League 2023-2024

  • Arab News looks at the state of play for the SPL clubs as they return from the AFC Asian Cup break, starting with positions 1-9

Anticipation abounds ahead of this week’s restart of the 2023-2024 Roshn Saudi Pro League.

The six-week interlude for the 2023 AFC Asian Cup saw managerial changes, eye-catching player acquisitions and noteworthy exits.

Arab News provides a breakdown of the 16 clubs as they head into Thursday’s resumption, including their key winter business and outlook for the 15 remaining matchweeks.

In part one, we look at the clubs occupying the first nine positions.

 

1. Al-Hilal

Points 53

Goals scored/conceded 59-9

Season so far: The major injury to Neymar aside, this campaign could not be going any better.

Their other massive summer additions have all contributed significantly — Serbia hitman Aleksandar Mitrovic has struck 17 times, and Salem Al-Dawsari is putting in displays worthy of being AFC Player of the Year. In addition, it is like returning head coach Jorge Jesus has never been away, and November’s 9-0 thrashing of Al-Hazem was the division’s biggest win.

Major winter changes: With an attack firing on all cylinders even without Neymar, a measured call was made to bolster defensive ranks with the addition of Marseille and Brazil fullback Renan Lodi.

Outlook: In short, Hilal look unstoppable in this quest to regain their crown. Last week they registered a 2-0 victory versus Al-Nassr in the Riyadh Season Cup. A 12-match top-flight winning run has opened up a seven-point lead, while they boast the best defense and attack. They must navigate away-trips to nearest challengers Nassr and Al-Ahli.

 

2. Al-Nassr

Points 46

Goals scored/conceded 55-23

Season so far: An opening pair of league defeats had set alarm bells ringing. But the summer decision to hire Luis Castro has proven to be an inspired one. The Brazilian has orchestrated 56 goal contributions from a fearsome attacking trio of Cristiano Ronaldo, Sadio Mane and Talisca, with Marcelo Brozovic and Aymeric Laporte adding defensive quality. The only serious blemish was December’s 3-0 derby humbling at Hilal, which had seen a second-half collapse.

Major winter changes: The loan of Aziz Behich from Melbourne City raised eyebrows. Also, either the experienced Australia left-back or injury prone returning Colombia goalkeeper David Ospina will take the place of departed Ivory Coast midfielder Seko Fofana. The latter was part of a trio of mid-season exits to Ettifaq, alongside winger Khalid Al-Ghannam and Saudi Arabia center-back Abdullah Madu.

Outlook: With the ageless Ronaldo at the top of scoring (20) and assists (nine), anything is possible. A return of 46 points from the last 51 shows they will be there, if imperious Hilal ever start slipping.

 

3. Al-Ahli

Points 40

Goals scored/conceded 41-19

Season so far: This season was always going to be a work in progress because of a heralded top-flight return, the injection of world-class signings and the visionary hire of young German manager Matthias Jaissle. Al-Ahli’s four-match winning start belied their winter struggles to come.

But a near-perfect December witnessed things click under their ex-Red Bull Salzburg tactician. The influence of the Ivory Coast’s Africa Cup of Nations inspiration Franck Kessie is palpable. In addition, Algeria superstar Riyad Mahrez has 15 goal contributions and Saudi Arabia striker Firas Al-Buraikan headed into the break with five goals in his last five league outings — made vital by ex-Liverpool superstar Roberto Firmino’s disappointing output.

Major winter changes: Not applicable.

Outlook: A nine-point gap to Jeddah rivals Al-Ittihad means these promoted giants are well placed to hold on for qualification to the inaugural AFC Champions League elite. They must showcase how the youthful and visionary Jaissle can carry them even further in 2024-2025.

 

4. Al-Taawoun

Points 34

Goals scored/conceded 32-22

Season so far: Another campaign as dark horses under the ingenious Pericles Chamusca continues. A flood of summer exits at last term’s fifth-placed finishers did not derail them. Instead, we have witnessed former Al-Wahda target man Joao Pedro netting frequently upon his return to the Kingdom. In addition, former Nantes defender Andrei Girotto represents a rock at the back alongside Saudi Arabia breakout Awn Al-Saluli, and Nagoya Grampus-import Mateus has registered four goals and assists. Ending December with two defeats provides a note of caution, however.

Major winter changes: Key Spanish midfielder Alvaro Medran departed to Ettifaq, with the mercurial Mohammed Al-Kuwaykibi among those making the opposite trip. Argentine playmaker Cristian Guanca has a new temporary home, on loan from Al-Shabab.

Outlook: It appears a huge ask to gatecrash the top three, but Chamusca’s ambition and application makes this a possibility.

 

5. Al-Ittihad

Points 31

Goals scored/conceded 37-26

Season so far: This has been a title defense to forget. The fanfare that greeted the summer arrivals of Karim Benzema, N’Golo Kante and Fabinho has not translated onto the pitch. Nuno Espirito Santo departed in November and his replacement Marcelo Gallardo has taken just seven points from 18. They are a side struggling in the transition from defensive football to an expansive outlook. A 3-0 victory last week against Al-Tai — rescheduled because of Al-Ittihad’s early FIFA Club World Cup exit — does hold promise.

Major winter changes: A free transfer granted to Brazilian assist-machine Igor Coronado should allow fit-again Egypt colossus Ahmed Hegazi to be re-registered after serious injury. Al-Shabab fullback Fawaz Al-Sqoor has inked a move from Al-Shabab when on Asian Cup duty, while Hamed Al-Ghamdi, Ahmed Al-Ghamdi and Saad Al-Mousa have joined on loan from Ettifaq; with Abdulrahman Al-Aboud and Haroune Camara moving the opposite way.

Outlook: With so much ground to make up, Gallardo must swiftly showcase the brilliance which made him a triple Copa Libertadores champion.

 

6. Damac

Points 30

Goals scored/conceded 35-25

Season so far: Cosmin Contra’s first full campaign has been hugely impressive. Fueled by the sensational 14-goal return from ex-Tottenham Hotspur forward Georges-Kevin Nkoudou, the wiles of Egypt veteran Tarek Hamed and impact of Romania forward Nicolae Stanciu, a rise from last term’s eighth place appears apparent. This will be some achievement.

Major winter changes: Not applicable.

Outlook: They have Taawoun in their sights for a battle to become the competition’s best of the rest.

 

7. Al-Fateh

Points 29 

Goals scored/conceded 33-26

Season so far: Another former Ittihad boss is working wonders in the Kingdom. Slaven Bilic has weathered the late exit of Firas Al-Buraikan, developing a potential Asian superstar in teenager Abbas Al-Hassan, and eliciting excitement through driving attackers Mourad Batna, Cristian Tello and Lucas Zelaryan. They have recorded just one defeat from matchweek four to 11.

Major winter changes: Not applicable.

Outlook: Another side that have Taawoun and Damac in their sights. A repeat of last term’s sixth-place finish would be commendable.

 

8. Ettifaq

Points 25

Goals scored/conceded 22-22

Season so far: Here is a manager and a squad with much to prove. Steven Gerrard’s heralded tenure began with purpose, with his victory over Nassr being one of five from his opening seven RSL games. The wheels had already started to come off, however, before injury to seven-goal French striker Moussa Dembele. They are currently winless from their last eight matchweeks.

Major winter changes: This has easily been the busiest side. A frantic end to the transfer window witnessed Abha raided for Cameroon forward Karl Toko Ekambi, Taawoun for Medran, and Nassr for Fofana. International headlines had already been made by England midfielder Jordan Henderson’s departure to Ajax. Brazilian forward Vitinho (Al-Shabab) and DR Congo center-back Marcel Tisserand (Abha) also exited.

Outlook: Gerrard must justify last month’s award of a two-year contract extension despite disappointing recent results. Superior squad depth has been delivered to him.

 

9. Al-Wehda

Points 25

Goals scored/conceded 31-34

Season so far: A significantly more comfortable campaign than last season’s relegation battle. The return of manager Giorgios Donis and impactful Australia winger Craig Goodwin have provided sizeable uplift in quality. Veteran pre-season recruit Odion Ighalo’s nine goals is already six more than anyone managed in 2022-2023.

Major winter changes: Not applicable.

Outlook: Al-Wehda is enjoying mid-table security. Saudi Arabia forward Abdulaziz Noor is one to watch, after recording three goals and five assists in 18 games.


New Al-Hilal kit unveiled in New York gives a nod to club’s heritage

Updated 23 June 2025
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New Al-Hilal kit unveiled in New York gives a nod to club’s heritage

  • The event featured a KidSuper x Puma Football tournament as Saudi giants continue their FIFA Club World Cup campaign

RIYADH: The new 2025-26 season Al-Hilal kit has been revealed by PUMA and American artist, fashion designer and musician KidSuper as the Saudi club continues its FIFA Club World Cup campaign in the US.

The strip pays tributed to the club’s “heritage, artistry and global ambition,” and takes its cue from its name — Al-Hilal means “crescent moon” in Arabic. The symbol is highlighted in toning blues with a glowing lunar graphic, while the goalkeeper’s jersey has an alpine snow base with blue and navy blue details.

To bring a regional flavor to the global collaboration, PUMA Middle East invited Zeynab El-helw — a Dubai-based fashion entrepreneur known for her bold, and distinct style — along with Shouq, a rising Saudi voice recognized for her expressive and forward-thinking fashion content, and Noura Joubran,  a content creator celebrated for her fusion of elegance and contemporary style, to New York City for the proceedings.

The three brought the PUMA x KidSuper Al-Hilal collection to life with a content shoot celebrating the fusion of fashion and football, while also highlighting the club’s growing global footprint and milestone presence at the FIFA Club World Cup.

The trio joined PUMA’s global team for an exclusive launch event, attended by creators, media and football fans, and which featured a KidSuper x PUMA football tournament. They also attended one of Al-Hilal’s Club World Cup matches.

Colm Dillane, aka KidSuper, said: “I’ve always wanted to merge the worlds of art and football, and with PUMA, we’re doing just that. This collection is about more than just the game. It’s about expressing yourself, taking risks, and standing out. Whether on the pitch or off, football is an art form, and this collection shows that.”

The collection also features limited-edition kits and lifestyle pieces for six other PUMA-sponsored clubs — Manchester City, Borussia Dortmund, FC Salzburg, Mamelodi Sundowns, Palmeiras and Monterrey.


5 things we learned from Al-Hilal’s draw with Red Bull Salzburg at FIFA Club World Cup

Updated 23 June 2025
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5 things we learned from Al-Hilal’s draw with Red Bull Salzburg at FIFA Club World Cup

  • Frustration for Inzaghi, goalscoring issues and another goalkeeping masterclass from Yassine Bounou

DC: Al-Hilal dominated Red Bull Salzburg on Sunday night in the second group match of the FIFA Club World Cup. The match was played at Audi Field, a mere three kilometres south of the White House in Washington, D.C.

Yet while they ultimately failed to capitalise on possession, they could even have lost were it not for another superb performance from stand-out Yassine Bounou in goal.

The 0-0 draw means no team from Group H has yet confirmed their place in the Round of 16, but with Hilal facing bottom-placed CF Pachuca on Thursday and Salzburg facing Real Madrid, the Riyadh club will be quietly confident of progressing, as long as they can find the net.

Another draw and frustration for Inzaghi, but all is not lost

New coach Simone Inzaghi knew his Al-Hilal team could not afford to lose if they were to stand any chance of progressing to the knock-out stages of this revamped 32-team tournament. The Italian went as far as to publicly say that anything less than victory would void all that was achieved against Real Madrid on Wednesday. A stalemate then against Salzburg — with strong emphasis on the word “stale” — did little to clarify who might progress to the Round of 16. Inzaghi, however, must surely be privately if not publicly the happier of the two coaches. 

It was the fifth scoreless draw of the tournament so far, but it means Inzaghi’s side are alive going into the final Group H match with Mexico’s CF Pachuca. Now in third place with two points, the 2021 AFC Asian Champions League winners will progress should they win in Nashville by two clear goals. Madrid and Salzburg, tied on four points, will face off in Philadelphia with the Spanish giants’ plus-two goal difference giving them an edge should they draw.

Issues in attack continue

Inzaghi will be keen to sharpen his attack before Thursday. Hilal failed to fire against an Austrian side that conceded 27 goals in just eight games during this season’s revamped UEFA Champions League group stage. Yes, Aleksandar Mitrovic is missing, but Brazilian striker Marcos Leonardo has scored 25 in 40 for the Riyadh club since joining last September. Getting the former Santos and Benfica forward firing will be key. Leonardo had Hilal’s best chance against Salzburg, but his shot was blocked by Jacob Rasmussen. 

This is the second successive match where Hilal have dominated possession, but struggled in front of goal. Brazilian Malcom and captain Salem Al-Dawsari combined to score 39 goals and claim 35 assists in all competitions last season, but it is now close to 200 minutes in the United States without the team bulging the net from open play. Against Salzburg in the heat, that drought rarely looked like ending. For all the possession and 18 shots at goal, they managed only four on target, only one from inside the penalty area, and none truly troubled Christian Zawieschitzky.

“It is natural for us to be unhappy about not scoring goals,” Inzaghi said. “This is a crucial match, and we put in a lot of effort, and we are working on improving and developing our performance as a team. We have only worked together for a week. I had a week in Saudi Arabia, and we have been in America for 10 days now. I am happy and convinced with all the decisions I have made.”

‘Bono’ stars again

While Inzaghi will be quietly content that his new charges can still progress, he must be thankful once again to goalkeeper Yassine Bounou, because despite Hilal’s dominance, only the Moroccan stopper prevented a tournament-ending defeat. Man of the match against Madrid, he replicated the feat in Washington with impressive saves from captain Mads Bidstrup and Karim Onisiwo, before saving his best for early in the second half. 

When Ghanaian striker Edmund Baidoo’s shot fell at the feet of substitute John Mellberg, the son of former Juventus midfielder Olof must have thought he would open the scoring with practically his first touch. His first-time drive from just a few yards out though was somehow repelled at point-blank range by Bounou before the loose follow-up was cleared off the line by Kalidou Koulibaly. It seemed like desperate defending, but it retained a clean sheet and ultimately secured a point.

Neves pulls strings and plays defence

Ruben Neves, who scored from the spot against Madrid, again showed his importance to the Riyadh club. The Portuguese midfielder expertly connected defence with attack, spraying passes wide to the likes of Al-Dawsari, Renan Lodi, Malcom, and Joao Cancelo. With nobody able to capitalise on the Portuguese playmaker’s distribution — including a first-half corner from which Sergej Milinkovic-Savic should have tested Zawieschitzky — Neves’s most important play arguably came early in the second half.

Samson Baidoo broke through and was ready to open the scoring before Neves showed he is more than just a clever passer, demonstrating surprising pace and a perfectly timed challenge to block the shot. When Hassan Al-Tambakti was forced off through injury, it was Neves who was dropped into the centre of defence alongside Koulibaly.

Inzaghi said post-match that while he believes Al-Tambakti just needs rest, he is happy with his defensive options in Ali Lajami and Khalifa Al-Dawsari for the next match should he not recover in time.

Heat a real hindrance

With the match described by some pundits as the most boring of the tournament so far, the temperatures certainly did not help. Kicking off at 6pm with the temperature at 32°C — and feeling much hotter — the intensity levels dropped the longer the game went on. In the hydration breaks players covered their heads and necks with cold towels, while others sought short refuge in the shade. 

The Salzburg side that looked so energetic and dangerous against Pachuca failed to turn up. With 25 minutes remaining, the Austrians’ coach, Thomas Letsch, removed Karim Onisiwo and Oscar Gloukh — his two goalscorers in the 2-1 win over Pachuca. If the move was supposed to reinvigorate the Salzburg attack, it fell flat. Hilal meanwhile looked leggy, which could be why the only efforts of note came from distance — Milinkovic-Savic and Joao Cancelo forcing comfortable saves from Zawieschitzky.

“One point is still OK,” Milinkovic-Savic told DAZN at full-time. “We did a lot of things nice. It was just missing the goal. We created, kept the ball, and defended well, so I’m happy. Let’s go to the last game — we need to win.”

Hilal’s final match is in Nashville with an 8pm local time kick-off, which will hopefully bring a little respite from the soaring temperatures. 


Gündogan has two goals, Haaland scores as Man City routs Al Ain 6-0 at the Club World Cup

Updated 23 June 2025
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Gündogan has two goals, Haaland scores as Man City routs Al Ain 6-0 at the Club World Cup

  • Man City produced a dominating performance that sent both the English club and Italian squad Juventus to the Round of 16

ATLANTA: lkay Gündogan had a pair of goals, Erling Haaland scored on a penalty and Manchester City locked up its spot in the knockout round of the Club World Cup with a 6-0 rout of Al Ain on Sunday night.
Claudio Echeverri, Oscar Bobb and Rayan Cherki also scored for City, which is trying to put an encouraging capper on a disappointing season.
The English powerhouse finished third in the Premier League after four straight championships and went down to Real Madrid in the knockout playoff of the UEFA Champions League.
With an entirely new lineup after a 2-0 win over Morocco’s Wydad in the group opener, Man City produced a dominating performance in Atlanta against an overmatched club from the United Arab Emirates.
The time of possession was a staggering 74 percent in favor of the English side, which outshot Al Ain 21-5.
Haaland buried the penalty for his 32nd goal of the season across all competitions after a video review found that Rami Rabia took down City’s Manuel Akanji in the area on a corner kick. Cherki, one of City’s high-profile signings, scored his first goal for his new club in the waning minutes.
The expected result sent Man City and Italian club Juventus (both 2-0-0) to the Round of 16 from Group G. Al Ain has been blown out twice, losing 5-0 to Juventus in its opener.
Manchester City is the reigning club champion, winning the title in 2023 under the former seven-team format.
Key moment
After Gündogan flicked in an early goal over the head of keeper Khalid Eisa, Echeverri assured this would be an easy night for City in the 27th minute. With a free kick from just outside the area, he curled a shot over the wall that left Eisa frozen on one knee while the ball ripped the back of the net.
Takeaways
Man City will face Juventus on Thursday in Orlando to determine which team claims the top spot in the group. Then the real work begins.
They said it
“We played a little bit better than the first game, especially in the second half, but still there are a few things you have to improve.” — Manchester City coach Pep Guardiola.
“We know where our level is, but you cannot be happy ... because against this team, you must be disciplined from the first until the last second of the game.” — Al Ain coach Vladimir Ivić.


Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scores 29 points and Thunder beat Pacers 103-91 for NBA title

Updated 23 June 2025
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Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scores 29 points and Thunder beat Pacers 103-91 for NBA title

  • The Pacers without star guard Tyrese Haliburton, who suffered an Achilles tendon injury about seven minutes into the game
  • It’s the 2nd championship for the franchise, which first won the NBA title in 1979 when it was still the Seattle SuperSonics

OKLAHOMA CITY: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander finished off his MVP season with 29 points and 12 assists, and the Oklahoma City Thunder won the NBA championship, pulling away in the second half to beat the Indiana Pacers 103-91 on Sunday night.
Jalen Williams scored 20 and Chet Holmgren had 18 for the Thunder, who were pushed to a Game 7 brink in the NBA Finals — but finished off a season for the ages. Oklahoma City won 84 games between the regular season and the playoffs, tying the 1996-97 Chicago Bulls for third-most in any season.
Only Golden State (88 in 2016-17) and the Bulls (87 in 2015-16) won more.
It’s the second championship for the franchise. The Seattle SuperSonics won the NBA title in 1979; the team was moved to Oklahoma City in 2008. There’s nothing in the rafters in Oklahoma City to commemorate that title.
Next October, a championship banner is finally coming. A Thunder banner.
It was not easy to secure.
The Pacers led 48-47 at the half even after losing star guard Tyrese Haliburton to what his father said was an Achilles tendon injury about seven minutes into the game. But they were outscored 34-20 in the third quarter as the Thunder built a 13-point lead and began to run away.
Bennedict Mathurin had 24 points and 13 rebounds for Indiana, which still is waiting for its first NBA title. The Pacers — who were 10-15 after 25 games and were bidding to be the first team in NBA history to turn that bad of a start into a championship — had leads of 1-0 and 2-1 in the series, but they simply didn’t have enough in the end.
Home teams are now 16-4 in NBA Finals Game 7s. And the Thunder became the seventh champion in the last seven seasons, a run of parity like none other in NBA history.
Pacers forward Pascal Siakam was part of the Toronto team that won in 2019, Thunder guard Alex Caruso was part of the Los Angeles Lakers team that won in the pandemic “bubble” in 2020, Milwaukee won in 2021, Golden State in 2022, Pacers forward Thomas Bryant and Denver prevailed in 2023, and Boston won last year’s title.
The Thunder are the ninth franchise to win a title in NBA Commissioner Adam Silver 12 seasons leading the league. His predecessor, David Stern, saw eight franchises win titles in his 30 seasons as commissioner.
 


Gold Cup: Saudi Arabia tie Trinidad, advance out of Group D

Updated 23 June 2025
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Gold Cup: Saudi Arabia tie Trinidad, advance out of Group D

  • Firas Al-Buraikan found the all-important equalizer for Saudi Arabia to notch a 1-1 draw with Trinidad and Tobago on Sunday

Firas Al-Buraikan found the all-important equalizer for Saudi Arabia to notch a 1-1 draw with Trinidad and Tobago on Sunday in Las Vegas, ensuring the CONCACAF’s guests would advance to the knockout stage of the Gold Cup.
While the United States won Group D with a perfect 3-0-0 record, Saudi Arabia finished 1-1-1 (4 points) to place second. Trinidad and Tobago (0-1-2, 2 points) would have leapfrogged Saudi Arabia for second with a victory.
Justin Garcia nearly put Trinidad ahead in the sixth minute of second-half stoppage time, but his point-blank shot from the center of the box caromed off the crossbar.
Al-Buraikan’s tying goal also involved the woodwork. Saleh Al-Shehri received a pass down the center lane, dribbled around one defender and watched his ensuing shot hit the crossbar and stay out of the net. Al-Buraikan ran in to collect the ball and tap it behind goalkeeper Marvin Phillip (two saves).
Dante Sealy staked Trinidad to a 1-0 lead in the 10th minute on a left-footed rocket from outside the box.
Nawaf Al-Aqidi made two saves for Saudi Arabia.