The soccer transfer market has been completely blown away by the emergence of the Saudi Pro League as a lucrative, realistic, and attractive destination for football’s biggest stars.
The Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund (PIF) handed a massive transfer war chest to the country’s traditional big four: Al-Nassr, Al-Ittihad, Al-Ahli, and Al-Hilal.
The aforementioned clubs all led the way in terms of tremendous spending, bringing the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema, Neymar, Riyad Mahrez, Ruben Neves, and Sadio Mane to the Middle East.
Even clubs apart from the big 4 signed players who would have viewed a move to Saudi Arabia as unthinkable just a few months earlier. Al-Ettifaq sensationally signed Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson, and Al-Shabab recruited Yannick Carrasco from Atletico Madrid.
TOP SOCCER BLOG brings you to the top 20 best soccer stars in Saudi Arabia.
1. Cristiano Ronaldo (Al-Nassr)
Cristiano Ronaldo was the statement signing that signalled to the soccer world that the Saudis meant serious business.
Unarguably, CR7 paved the way for other star players across the European top leagues to have a go at Saudi soccer.
The five-time Ballon d’Or winner had a productive debut half-season, bagging 14 goals.
Ronaldo has even been on hotter fire this term, with 13 league strikes already so far. He has already a hattrick this season, making him one of the footballers with the most hattricks in history.
The Portuguese superstar will be aiming for silverware, having guided Al-Nassr to their first-ever Arab Club Champions Cup triumph recently.
Ronaldo is not resting on his laurels as one the greatest soccer players ever, but has constantly delivered star performances at Saudi Arabia.
2. Karim Benzema (Al-Ittihad)
After 14 years with Real Madrid, 2022 Ballon d’Or winner Karim Benzema took a new challenge in the Middle East and joined the reigning Saudi Pro League champions, Al-Ittihad.
The Frenchman hasn’t yet hit the same heights of Real Madrid, but has already netted 8 goals in 11 Pro League matches.
The former Real Madrid striker is yet to set the Pro League alight, though his hat-trick in the first game after manager Nuno Espirito Santo was sacked hinted at better times to come for the French striker.
3. Neymar (Al-Hilal)
Despite scoring 118 goals since his arrival at PSG in 2017, Neymar was not part of new head coach Luis Enrique’s plans, making his departure inevitable.
He joined former Wolverhampton midfielder Ruben Neves and Senegal captain Kalidou Koulibaly at Al-Hilal, to earn six times the amount of his PSG contract.
4. Sadio Mane (Al-Nassr)
Sadio Mane joined Al-Nassr from Bundesliga champion Bayern Munich.
The ex-Liverpool forward spent only a year in Munich after leaving Anfield, and has teamed up with Cristiano Ronaldo at his new club.
A two-time African Footballer of the Year who won every available trophy at Liverpool, Mane has had a fine start to life at Al-Nassr.
Moreso, he has already formed a lethal strike-partnership alongside Ronaldo.
At 31, he may have lost some of the pace that made him a nightmare for defenders in the Premier League, but the Senegalese is still very clinical in front of goal.
The ex-Liverpool and Bayern Munich forward has scored nine goals in all competitions so far, and assisted three more.
5. Riyad Mahrez (Al-Ahli)
Riyad Mahrez was one of the best wingers in the Premier League during his time with Leicester City and Manchester City.
He completed a move from Manchester City to Al-Ahli last summer, fetching City up to £30m.
He is part of Al-Ahli’s fearsome attack, that also includes Roberto Firmino and Allan Saint-Maximin.
He is one of soccer players with the best ball control today.
6. N’Golo Kante (Al-Ittihad)
Once the best defensive midfielder in the world, N’golo Kante struggled with injuries in the last few seasons.
This saw his game time limited as well as losing form.
Like his fellow France international Benzema, Kante headed to Saudi Arabia on a free transfer as he opted to leave Chelsea at the end of his deal.
7. Roberto Firmino (Al-Ahli)
The highest-scoring Brazilian in Premier League history, Roberto Firmino formed a solid attacking partnership with Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah during his eight years at Anfield.
The Brazilian striker bade an emotional goodbye to the Liverpool supporters — among whom he was a firm favourite — last summer.
Firmino netted a hat-trick on his debut in the Saudi Pro League.
8. Ruben Neves (Al-Hilal)
Ruben Neves helped Wolverhampton Wanderers out of the Championship before enjoying five Premier League campaigns at Molineux — establishing himself as one of the highest-regarded midfielders in the division.
The Portuguese international made a shocking £47m move to Al-Hilal last summer despite being linked with Barcelona.
9. Anderson Talisca (Al-Nassr)
Anderson Talisca has been very consistent for Al-Nassr since joining them from the Chinese side of Guangzhou Evergrande in 2021.
The Brazilian scored 20 goals in back-to-back seasons in the Saudi Pro League.
Although Sadio Mane and Cristiano Ronaldo have stolen the headlines this season, Talisca still remains a pivotal force in Al-Nassr’s attack, with league 8 goals so far.
10. Aleksandar Mitrovic (Al-Hilal)
Aleksandar Mitrovic scored a record-breaking 43 goals in the Championship during the 2021/22 season to help Fulham return to the top-flight.
The 28-year-old then netted 15 Premier League goals last season, despite making just 24 appearances.
However, the Serbia international forced a move to Al-Hilal in the summer transfer window, despite Fulham’s resistance.
The striker may not have the same trophy-winning credentials as some of the players who have moved across to the Middle East, but he is a handful for opposition defenders.
The Serbian goal machine is already off to a flyer, scoring goals for fun in Saudi, with 10 already.
11. Sergej Milinkovic-Savic (Al-Hilal)
A very fine midfielder, Sergej Milinkovic-Savic had been long touted to join a club at the highest level of European football.
Now, though, he is turning out for Al-Hilal in the Saudi Pro League after a surprising £34.3m switch.
12. Kalidou Koulibaly (Al-Hilal)
Once among the best centre-backs in the world, Kalidou Koulibaly failed to adapt to the Premier League after moving to Chelsea.
Having spent just a single season at Stamford Bridge, the Senegalese departed Chelsea for a fee in the region of £20m.
13. Frank Kessie (Al-Ahli)
After making his name as a world-class midfield destroyer in Serie A with Atalanta and AC Milan, Frank Kessie joined Barcelona but failed to settle down in Spain.
He was one of the most underrated soccer players in his prime.
The Ivorian was linked with a transfer to Manchester United, Liverpool, and Tottenham during the summer transfer window, but chose to join up with Firmino and Co at Al-Ahli.
14. Aymeric Laporte (Al-Nassr)
Aymeric Laporte ended a 5-and-a-half-year stay at Manchester City to join Al-Nassr in a deal worth £25m.
The center-back, who won 13 major honours with City, signed a three-year contract to join Cristiano Ronaldo and Sadio Mane at the Saudi Pro League side.
15. Allan Saint-Maximin (Al-Ahli)
One of the most tricky wingers and dribblers in the Premier League during his time at Newcastle, Allan Saint-Maximin partners Riyad Mahrez and Roberto Firmino in Al-Ahli’s front line.
The 27-year-old scored 13 goals and registered 21 assists in 124 games for Newcastle after joining them from Nice in August 2019.
16. Abderrazak Hamdallah (Al-Ittihad)
One player who has been setting the Saudi Pro League on fire even before the lavish spending is Al-Ittihad forward Abderrazak Hamdallah.
He even pipped Al-Nassr duo Ronaldo and Anderson Talisca to win his third Golden Boot in the past five seasons with 21 goals last term.
The 33-year-old Moroccan international will be hopeful of defending his top-scorer crown. But this time around, he has some serious competition on his hands.
17. Malcom (Al-Hilal)
Former Barcelona attacker Malcolm lifted the Russian Premier League title last season with Zenit as the league’s top scorer with 23 goals before joining Al-Hilal for a club-record €60 million.
The 26-year-old Brazilian winger made a fine start to his career in the Saudi Pro League, scoring a hat-trick in Al Hilal’s 3-1 win over Abha on Matchday 1.
With Neymar out injured, Malcom will be hoping to spearhead Al Hilal’s title charge with his goal-scoring exploits in 2023/24.
18. Marcelo Brozovic (Al-Nassr)
Marcelo Brozovic left Inter Milan after captaining the Serie A side in their UEFA Champions League final loss to Manchester City.
The 30-year-old Croatian midfielder headed to Saudi after eight seasons and five major trophies in Italy.
19. Salem Al Dawsari (Al-Hilal)
Saudi Arabian international Salem Al Dawsari caught global attention with his spectacular winning goal against Argentina at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
This season, he has been in sparkling form for Al-Hilal with 8 goals in the league — making full use of the numerous chances being created by the likes of Ruben Neves and Sergej Milinkovic-Savic.
20. Moussa Dembele (Al-Ettifaq)
Jordan Henderson’s move to Al-Ettifaq grabbed the headlines, but the capture of French striker Moussa Dembele on a free transfer from Lyon was an even bigger coup for Steven Gerrard’s side.
The 27-year-old has a proven track record for being a prolific goal-scorer in both Ligue 1 and the Scottish Premier League.
A natural and instinctive poacher, he has taken his goal-scoring exploits to Saudi Arabia, with 10 goals in the league already.
