The so-called “Arab World” attracts star players from all over the world to its leagues, betting on big money to do so. However, no league has invested as much as the Saudi League. The best players in Saudi Arabia today are some of the best in the world and this is for a number of reasons.
The main one is a state policy: the Saudi princes own four of the country’s main clubs and have decided to “up the ante” in the league with investments that would make many European clubs jealous.
The country is also trying to promote local sport, improve the level of its national teams and perhaps even host another World Cup in the Middle East, as it did in Qatar in 2022.
But who are Saudi Arabia’s best players today? Let’s find out.
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Top 10 players in Saudi Arabia this season: career, titles and records
Here’s a complete list of the best players in Saudi Arabia today:
- Sergej Milinković-Savić
- Rúben Neves
- Malcom
- Aleksandar Mitrović
- Neymar
- Karim Benzema
- Ivan Toney
- Moussa Diaby
- Cristiano Ronaldo
- Sadio Mané
See, I told you that some of the best footballers of all time are currently in Saudi soccer. So let’s find out more about each of them and what they’re up to in the league.
1. Sergej Milinković-Savić (Al Hilal)
Despite being born in Spain, Sergej Milinković-Savić’s entire family is of Serbian origin and it was there that he got his start in soccer, in the youth ranks of Vojvodina and moving up to the first team in 2013.
After making a name for himself in his homeland, the 1.92m midfielder caught the eye of Belgian side Genk, who signed him in 2014. His good performances caught the eye of Lazio in Italy, where he then moved.
The player stayed there from 2015 to 2023, amassing more than 300 appearances, 69 goals and some important titles.
In the middle of 2023, he was signed by Al Hilal for 40 million euros and since then his impact on the team has been meteoric.
The player was a key player in Al Hilal’s unbeaten title run in the 2023 Saudi league, where the team broke the record for winning streak with an impressive 34 wins in a row.
Titles won by Al Hilal:
- Saudi Arabian Super Cup: 2023, 2024
- Saudi League: 2023-24
- King’s Cup: 2023-24
> Read also: 10 most expensive squads in Saudi Arabia: is it the new soccer country?
2. Rúben Neves (Al Hilal)
Another key member of Jorge Jesus’ midfield, Rúben Neves is another midfielder who needs to be on the list of the best players in Saudi Arabia today.
At just 27, the player has been a regular in the Portuguese national team since his days at Porto, where he spent from 2014 to 2017.
After that spell, he attracted the attention of English club Hull City, where he also made history with over 250 appearances and 30 goals.
In June 2023, Rúben Neves was signed by Al Hilal for around 55 million euros, being another centerpiece of the undefeated champion team in the 2023/24 season.
> Read more at: Al-Hilal, Al-Ittihad and more: the 10 biggest fans in Saudi Arabia
3. Malcom (Al Hilal)
Another of Al Hilal’s standout names, Brazilian Malcom has had a meteoric rise. A Brazilian champion with Corinthians in 2015, the player was quickly traded to Boudreaux in France where he played for three seasons, scoring 23 goals and providing 12 assists in 96 games in the Ligue 1.
This performance caught the eye of Barcelona, but there the Brazilian had few opportunities, being traded the following season to Russian club Zenit, where Malcom went on to win the Russian Cup and the Russian Super Cup in the 2019/20 season.
In July 2023, Malcom was sold to Al Hilal for around 60 million euros, making him the most expensive transfer in the history of Russian soccer.
Since then, he has amassed titles and decisive goals for the club, as well as top scorer in the 2023 Saudi Arabian Super Cup.
Titles for Al Hilal:
- Saudi Arabian Super Cup: 2023, 2024
- Saudi League: 2023-24
- King’s Cup: 2023-24
> Continue reading at: Meet the biggest teams in Saudi Arabia
4. Aleksandar Mitrović (Al Hilal)
One of Al Hilal’s most decisive players, Serbian center forward Mitrović is a born scorer.
With spells at Partizan and Anderlecht, the No. 9 was noticed by Newcastle in England, but made a name for himself at Fulham.
In the London team, the striker helped the team return to the Premier League with an impressive 43 goals, setting a new record, being champion of the second division, top scorer and elected as the main player of the season.
In August 2023, he signed for Al Hilal and was part of the team’s undefeated campaign.
Titles for Al Hilal:
- Saudi Arabian Super Cup: 2023, 2024
- Saudi League: 2023-24
- King’s Cup: 2023-24
5. Neymar (Al Hilal)
With successful spells at Santos, Barcelona and PSG, Al Hilal’s current number 10 was the Saudi princes’ main bet to change the status of the league.
Although the league already boasts a number of renowned players, the arrival of a player of Neymar’s status, who is still of age and still on the market in Europe, has attracted a lot of attention. The figures are around 90 million euros, making it the biggest signing by a non-European club in history!
Much is still expected of the Brazilian star, who suffered a serious injury shortly after being presented to the Saudi team, but he is still undoubtedly one of the best players in Saudi Arabia.
6. Karim Benzema (Al-Ittihad)
Another well-known name in world soccer, Karim Benzema is another big name in the Saudi league.
In over 14 years at Real Madrid, he has played in 648 games and scored 354 goals, becoming the 2nd top scorer in the history of the Club that has won the UEFA Champions League the most times.
Benzema has five Champions League titles to his name, as well as being a four-time LaLiga champion and a Ballon d’Or winner in 2022.
With this, the star is one of the greatest strikers of all time and landed at Al-Ittihad in June 2023.
7. Ivan Toney (Al-Ahli)
Ivan Toney started out in English soccer with Northampton Town, but his breakthrough came at Brentford, where his goals and consistency caught the eye. In 2024, he made a surprise move to Al-Ahli at the age of just 28.
Despite his short time in the league, Toney has established himself as one of the best players in Saudi Arabia due to his potential and, of course, his performances.
In the first matches of 2024/25, the star scored 3 goals and provided 2 assists in just 6 games.
8. Moussa Diaby (Al-Ittihad)
Another young player who surprised everyone by leaving for the Saudi League at just 25 years of age, Moussa Diaby emerged in the PSG, one of the biggest teams in France, where he didn’t have many opportunities and was soon traded to Bayer Leverkusen, where he excelled, being signed by Aston Villa.
The Saudis, who had already tried to take him in 2023, returned in July 2024 with a bid of around 60 million euros to bring the striker to the Saudi Pro League, this time with success.
9. Cristiano Ronaldo (Al-Nassr)
One of the greatest strikers of all time, Cristiano Ronaldo started out in Portugal but rose to prominence with Manchester United and, above all, Real Madrid. During his career, the Portuguese striker has accumulated titles, goals, records and many individual awards.
Back in 2022, CR7 was announced as the first big signing in the Saudi league, and was the name that “drew the line” for the arrival of other great players.
Since then he has won the Asian Champions League and maintains an average of almost 1 goal per game even at the age of 39.
Titles for Al-Nassr:
- Arab Champions League: 2023
10. Sadio Mané (Al-Nassr)
Closing the list of the best players in Saudi Arabia is Senegal’s Sadio Mané. Recognized for his successful spell at Liverpool, the striker also played for Bayern Munich before arriving in Riyadh.
Announced in August 2023, Mané won the AFC Champions League that same season, and despite suffering from a few injuries, continues to be very important and decisive for the team whenever he is on the pitch.
Titles for Al-Nassr:
- Arab Champions League: 2023
There is no doubt that soccer in Saudi Arabia is undergoing a significant transformation, attracting some of the best talent on the world stage.
The presence of these players raises the level of competitiveness in the league and piques the interest of fans from all over the globe. All these stars make the competition increasingly fierce, so it’s worth keeping an eye on the league.
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