Elite Performing in Saudi Arabia: Cristiano, Benzema, Neymar
The arrival of the top players in the world from Europe has raised the level of competition in the Middle East.
Great soccer players are opting to immigrate to Saudi Arabia and play in a league where Saudi clubs spend a lot of money to recruit the greatest players in the world, and Cristiano Ronaldo has opened the doors for them. Here’s some description of how the elite performing in Saudi Arabia.
A number of players have chosen to emulate the Portuguese sensation, including Karim Benzema, Neymar, Mané, and Laporte, however none of them has come up short in their performances.
One can never get enough of Cristiano Ronaldo.
With 52 appearances for the Saudi team, including 13 assists, Cristiano has amassed 46 goals since joining Al-Nassr in December 2022. It is impossible to ignite the Portuguese. After his team and the national team combined for 54 goals in 2023, he surpassed Mbappé (52), Harry Kane (52) and Erling Haaland (50) as the highest goal scorer in the world. Ronaldo is in the list of elite performing in Saudi Arabia.
At Al-Ittihad, Benzema is both a hero and a villain.
The peaceful interval following a tempest. There have been many ups and downs in Karim Benzema and Al-Ittihad’s relationship. From a sports perspective, the Frenchman is enjoying a successful season. In the 16 games he has participated in, he has scored 9 goals and provided 5 assists. The striker, who claimed to be “trapped” in the Mauritius Islands due to a hurricane, received a lot of backlash for missing the team’s preseason. Benzema is another soccer player, playing both as a hero and a villain, an elite performing in Saudi Arabia.
Having fun in Saudi Arabia, Aymeric Laporte
A prospective Real Madrid transfer for the French-Spanish player was mentioned during the winter transfer window, but he forgot about Los Blancos because of his desire to stay and Al Nassr‘s refusal to sell him.
He plays a critical role in the Saudi Arabian team’s advancement toward the Asian Champions League and the Saudi Pro League. He is an elite performing in Saudi Arabia. Over his 23 games played this season, the former Manchester City star has scored two goals and contributed an assist. He is enjoying a fantastic campaign.
Neymar is yet to perform a dance at Al-Hilal.
Neymar suffered cruciate ligament and meniscus tears just two months after joining Al-Hilal, resulting in a four-and-a-half month layoff. Only three games have he played for his new team, therefore his supporters are eager to see the Brazilian return to the field. When he resumed working out with the squad, his critics did not hold back in critiquing his performance.
Arabia is polishing the diamond known as Gabri Veiga.
After competing for Celta in La Liga, the Galician midfielder is gaining experience in Arabia. Gabri Veiga has made 18 appearances for Al-Ahli, with four goals and four assists. His club is ranked third in the league and has qualified for the Asian Champions League for its next campaign.
Effectiveness denounces Carrasco Yannik
In terms of his performance and the state of his club, Carrasco’s season at Al-Shabab has not gone as planned for the Belgian. Only center-back Saiss has scored three goals in as many games as Carrasco, who has only managed two. The Saudi team is six points from relegation in the local championship, currently in 10th place.
Mane has already surpassed his Bayern Munich goals.
Sadio Mane now appears to have regained the stability he lacked in Munich after departing Liverpool in 2022. In the 27 games he has played thus far, the Senegalese has 12 goals and 6 assists. It took him 38 games to reach the stats he now has with Al-Nassr during the 2022–2023 season while playing for Bayern. Mané’s comeback is being celebrated by the Saudi side.
For Al-Ahli, the stars are all in harmony.
There’s no denying that the Saudi Pro League’s third-place squad is becoming a showcase for players looking to make their mark. During his 20 appearances for his team, Mahrez has contributed to 15 goals that have been scored, of which he has scored eight and assisted the other seven.
Al-Ahli’s league goals have been scored by the Saudi team’s attack, which includes Roberto Firmino and Saint-Maximin. The Al-Buraikan striker has also had a fantastic campaign, scoring seven goals.
Franck Kessié and Gabri Veiga provide solid coverage for Al-Ahli’s midfield. Having played in 19 games thus far, the former Barcelona player has established himself as an unquestioned starter and has demonstrated his attacking prowess with 6 goals and 2 assists.
They are second in the league for defense, only surpassed by Al-Hilal with Bono, Koulibaly, and co., thanks to the backline led by Roger Ibáñez and Merih Demiral. The former Chelsea player, Edouard Mendy, is keeping his side in third place and helping them earn a spot in the Asian Champions League.
David Ospina is doomed in Arabia by injuries
David Ospina made the decision to leave Europe in the summer of 2022 after 14 seasons of play (Nice, Arsenal, and Napoli). Following a brilliant beginning with Al-Nassr, he was sidelined from the field for several months due to an elbow injury, and nothing was ever the same. Because there were too many foreign players at the Arab club, the Colombian left, spending the preseason with other teams in his own country before coming back to Al-Nassr.
David Ospina has not yet participated in a game for Al-Nassr this season under Portuguese coach Luis Castro. The seasoned goalie was forced to leave a friendly match against Leo Messi‘s Inter Miami on February 1 after 30 minutes owing to injury. Ospina’s wishes are not being fulfilled in Arabia.
