Who knows if Saudi Arabia began to dream big after defeating future World Cup champions Argentina against all odds in Qatar.
The fact is that elite names have landed in Saudi Arabia and it looks like the league is here to stay.
Cristiano Ronaldo succumbed to the lure of the petrodollars and opened a door that others have also walked through.
Benzema, Neymar, Sadio Mané, Kanté, Rúben Neves, Koulibaly, Mendy, Brozovic and Firmino are some of the other names, but this may only be the beginning.
The Saudi Pro League 23/24 kicked off last weekend with an increase from 16 to 18 teams.
In view of the boom in market movements, MARCA will be updating the status of the squads.
Public Investment Fund
In early June, Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Sports announced that the country’s Public Investment Fund was taking control of four of the country’s leading soccer clubs, while the government was set to revive a plan to privatize other state-owned sports clubs.
The sovereign wealth fund, which in October 2021 led a consortium and took ownership of Newcastle United, already owns 75 percent of Al Ittihad, Al Ahli, Al Nassr and Al Hilal.
Saudi clubs, unsurprisingly and unlike European clubs, are not subject to UEFA’s financial regulations.
This means that there is no limit to the salaries offered to attract the best players to the Middle East.
At the forefront of this privatization plan is Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
His intention is for the Saudi Pro League’s revenues to reach 440 million a year by 2030 from the current 110 million, and he expects the market value to rise to almost 2 billion in the same period.
Goalkeepers:EDOUARD MENDY, Mohammed Al-Rubaie, Abdulrahman Al-Sanbi
Defenders: ROGER IBAÑEZ, Bastos, Fahd Al-Hamad, Manaf Abuyabes, Ezgjan Alioski, Hani Al-Sebyani, Ahmed Al-Nakhli, Ali Majrashi, Rayan Hamed, Adal Mohammed Khadhari
Midfielders:FRANCK KESSIÉ, Ali Al-Asmari, Ziyad Mubarak Al-Johani, Abdullah Otayf, Mohammed Al-Majhad, Ryad Boudebouz
Forwards: ALLAN SAINT-MAXIMIN, RIYAD MAHREZ, ROBERTO FIRMINO, Sumaihan Al-Nabit, Modou Barrow, Alassane Ndao, Haitham Asiri, Fahad Al-Rashidi, Firas Al-Ghamdi, Omar Al-Somah, Hassan Al-Ali, Abdullah Al-Mogren, Murad Mohammed Khadhari
Goalkeepers: Aymen Dahmen, Ibrahim Zaied, Dawood Al-Saeed, Aqbah Al-Mushawh, Majed Al-Ghamdi
Defenders: BRUNO VIANA, Paulo Ricardo, Mohammed Abdulrahman, Abdurahman Al-Dakheel, Talal Al-Absi, Ahmad Al-Mhemaid, Sultan Tanker, Farhan Al-Aazmi, Fahad Al-Obaid, Khaled Al-Barakah, Radhi Al-Otaibe
Midfielders: VINA, Ahmed Al-Shuwayfie, Basil Yousef Al-Sayyali, Ibrahim Al-Barakah, Ahmed Al-Juwaid, Nawaf Al-Habashi
Forwards: Abdulaziz Al-Harbi, Basim Saleh Al-Oraini, Thaar Al-Otaibi, Naoufel Zerhouni, Mohamed Al-Thani, Muteb Al-Hamad
Goalkeepers: Paulo Vítor, Vladimir Stojkovic, Mubark Al-Farhan
Defenders: ANDREI BURCA, Hussein Al-Msobei, Mohammed Al-Hitrish, Khalid Al-Magrabi, Hussain Al-Zabdani
Midfielders: FLORIN TANASE, ÁLEX COLLADO (cedido), Juan Sebastián Pedroza, Mohammed Khames, Abdulaziz Alkanfari, Massad Al-Yami, Jalwi Al-Yamai, Sharafi Al-Saleem, Abdulaziz Al-Hamsal, Masalah Al-Shaekh, Hamad Al-Rabaei, Abdulaziz Hetalh, Turaki Al-Hamam, Bassel Al-Zerea,Abdulaziz Hetela, Mohammed Juhaif
Forwards: Saleh Jamhoor
Goalkeepers: Martín Campaña, Rakan Al-Najar, Awidah Al-Amry
Defenders: Alin Tosca, Abdulaziz Abduassalam, Emad Adnan, Majed Al-Marzouqi, Khalid Al-Shuwayyi, Zeab Majrashi, Hussain Al-Nuweqi
Midfielders: Saleh Ali Al Dosari, Abdullah Al-Mousa, Karim Zeinoun, Abdulmalek Al-Khaibri, Abdullah Al-Dossari, Knowledge Musona, Abdulhadi Al-Harajin, Mohamed Aouichi
Forwards: Marcinho, Nikola Stojiljkovic, Hosam Al-Dawsari, Hussein Moath, Abdulaziz Al-Aryani, Abdulrahman Al-Yami
Goalkeepers: Marcelo Grohe, Abdullah Al-Jadani, Osama Al-Mermesh, Mohammed Abu Aseda, Saleh Al-Ohaymid
Defenders: Sultan Al-Sulayi, Ahmed Sharahili, Aseel Abed, Ahmed Bamsaud, Zakaria Hawsawi, Mohammed Al-Oufi, Hazim Al-Zahrani, Madallah Al-Olayan, Hassan Al-Asmari
Midfielders:FABINHO, N’GOLO KANTÉ, IGOR CORONADO, Tarek Hamed, Awad Al-Nashri, Khaled Al-Sumairi, Marwan Al-Sahafi, Nour El Din El Bahar
Forwards:KARIM BENZEMA, JOAO PEDRO NEVES ‘JOTA’, Romarinho, Abdulrahman Al-Oboud, Haroune Camara, Mohammed Al-Saiari
Goalkeepers: David Ospina, Nawaf Al-Aqidi, Raed Ozaybi
Defenders: ALEX TELLES, JIN-SU KIM, Clément Lenglet (interesa), Abdulelah Al-Amri, Abdullah Madu, Ali Lajami, Mohammed Al-Fatil, Ghislain Konan, Mansour Al-Shammari, Sultan Al-Ghannam, Nawaf Al-Boushal
Midfielders: SEKO FOFANA, MARCELO BROZOVIC, Anderson Talisca, Pity Martínez, Abdullah Al-Khaibari, Ali Al-Hassan, Mukhtar Ali, Abdulmajeed Al-Sulaiheem, Sami Al-Najei
Forwards:SADIO MANÉ, Cristiano Ronaldo, Abdulrahman Ghareeb, Jaloliddin Masharipov, Khalid Al-Ghannam, Ayman Yahya, Abdulfattah Adam, Mohammed Maran
Goalkeepers: Seung-gyu Kim, Fawaz Al-Qarni
Defenders: Iago Santos, Hassan Tambakti, Saeed Al-Rubaie, Nader Al-Sharari, Moteb Al-Harbi, Hussain Al-Sabiyani, Fawaz Al-Sagour, Mohammed Harbush
Midfielders: Gustavo Cuéllar, Éver Banega, Mo Adams, Riad Sharahili, Majed Omar Kanabah, Mohammed Eissa Al-Yami, Hussain Al-Monassar, Abdulelah Al-Shammeri
Forwards: HABIB DIALLO, Carlos Júnior, Hattan Bahebri, Turki Al-Ammar, Fahad Al-Muwallad, Ahmed Abdu
Goalkeepers: Mohammed Al-Owais, Habib Al-Wutaian, Abdullah Al-Mayouf
Defenders:KALIDOU KOULIBALY, Ali Al-Boleahi, Khalifah Al-Dawsari, Muteb Al-Mufarrij, Mohammed Al-Khaibari, Yasser Al-Shahrani, Abdulrahman Al-Obaid, Saud Abdulhamid, Mohammed Al-Burayk, Hamad Al-Yami
Midfielders: SERGEJ MILINKOVIC-SAVIC, RÚBEN NEVES, Mohamed Kanno, Abdulelah Al-Malki, Salman Al-Faraj, Musab Al-Juwayr, Saad Al-Nasser
Forwards:NEYMAR, MALCOM, Michael, Salem Al-Dawsari, Mohammed Al-Qahtani, Fawaz Al-Torais, Moussa Marega, Saleh Al-Shehri, Abdullah Al-Hamda, Abdullah Radif, Turki Al-Mutairi
Goalkeepers: Mailson, Raghed Najjar, Mohammed Al-Dawsari, Mohammed Al-Dhulayfi
Defenders: ANDREI GIROTTO, Awn Al-Saluli, Saad Yaslam, Sulaiman Hazazi, Mohammed Al-Ghamdi, Tareq Abdullah, Yazeed Al-Bakr
Midfielders: Flávio, Abdulrahmen Al-Mughais, Aschraf El Mahdioui, Abdulmalik Al-Oyayari, Nawaf Al-Rashwodi
Forwards: MATEUS, Léandre Tawamba, Yaqoub Al-Hassan Dembele, Hassan Al-Omari
Goalkeepers: Jacob Rinne, Waleed Al-Anezi, Mustafa Malayekah
Defenders: Fran Vélez, Ziyad Maher Al-Jari, Amaar Al-Dohaim, Fahad Al-Harbi, Salem Al-Najdi, Tawfiq Buhumaid, Ali Al-Zubaidi, Saeed Al-Basisi
Midfielders: LUCAS ZELARAYAN, Christian Cueva, Petros, Sofiane Bendebka, Tristan Dingomé, Hassan Abdullah, Hussain Al-Moqahwi, Nooh Al-Mousa
Forwards: Cristian Tello, Ayman Al-Khulaif, Othman Al-Othman, Firas Al-Buraikan, Hassan Al-Salis
Goalkeepers: Moustapha Zeghba, Abdulbasit Hawswi, Mohammed Al-Mahasneh
Defenders: Abdelkader Bedrane, Farouk Chafaï, Hassan Al-Shammrani, Abdullah Al-Ammar, Dhari Sayyar Al-Anazi, Abdullah Hassoun, Sultan Faqihi
Midfielders: Domagoj Antolic, Adam Mahery, Ibrahim Al-Nakhli, Bader Munshi, Rayan Al-Mousa, Abdulaziz Majrashi, Mohanad Al-Najai, Waleed Hizam Al-Oneazi, Abdulaziz Al-Shahrani
Forwards: Abdulaziz Al-Bishi, Abdulaziz Makeen, Ahmad Al-Zain, Rayan Mansour Al-Qahtani, Hassan Abusharara, Ramzi Solan
Goalkeepers: Victor Braga, Moataz Al-Baqaawi
Defenders: ROBERT BAUER, Mohammed Marzouq, Abdulkarim Sultan, Abdulmohsin Fallatah, Hussain Qasim, Nawaf Al-Qamiri, Hassan Al-Jubairi
Midfielders: Alfa Semedo, Jamal Bajandooh, Salem Abdullah Al-Toiawy, Mohammed Al-Qunaian
Forwards: Khalil Al-Absi, Abdullah Al-Jawaey, Mohammed Harzan, Hazzaa Al-Hazzaa, Adeeb Al-Haizan
Goalkeepers: ANDRÉ MOREIRA, Ahmad Al-Harbi, Meshary Sanyor
Defenders: Pablo Santos, Hamad Al-Jayzani, Mubarak Al-Rajeh, Abdulmalik Al-Shammari, Yahya Sunbul, Abdulaziz Al-Jebreen, Mansour Al-Bishi
Midfielders: Nasser Al-Hadhoodt, Amir Sayoud
Forwards: Rakan Al-Dosari, Mohammed Fouzair
Goalkeepers: Abdullah Al-Oaisher
Defenders: JACK HENDRY, Marcel Tisserand, Darko Velkovski, Fahad Khalid Al-Dossari, Saad Al-Mousa, Abdullah Khateeb, Hamad Al-Sayyaf, Sanousi Al-Hawsawi, Saeed Al-Mowalad, Abdulrahman Oumar
Midfielders:JORDAN HENDERSON, Nawaf Hazazi, Berat Özdemir, Ibrahim Mohannashi, Faisal Al-Ghamdi, Ali Abdullah Hazazi, Hamed Al-Ghamdi
Forwards: MOUSSA DEMBÉLÉ, Vitinho, Robin Quaison, Rayan Al-Bloushi, Mohammed Al-Kuwaykibi
Goalkeepers: CIPRIAN TATARUSANU, Devis Epassy
Defenders: FABIÁN NOGUERA, Sari Amro, Amine Attouchi, Saad Natiq, Ahmad Al-Hbeab, Mohammed Al-Kunaydiri
Midfielders: GRZEGORZ KRYCHOWIAK, Abdulrahman Al-Alawi, Driess Saddiki, Zakaria Al-Sudani, Nasser Al-Omran, Mutair Al-Zahrani, Saad Al-Salouli, Saad Bguir
Forwards: FRANÇOIS KAMANO, Hassan Al-Qead, Nawaf Al-Sadi, Fahad Mohammed Al-Jumaiya, Omar Al-Ruwaili
Goalkeepers: Munir, Abdulqaddous Attieh, Basem Atallah
Defenders: Óscar Duarte, Ziyad Al-Sahafi, Ali Makki, Noor Al-Rashidi, Islam Hawsawi, Abdulelah Al-Bukhari, Abdulrahman Al-Hajri, Naif Kireiri
Midfielders: Anselmo, Abdulaziz Noor, Yousef Al-Harbi, Mohammed Al-Qarni, Fayçal Fajr, Abdulkarim Al-Qahtani
Forwards: Jean-David Beauguel, Azzam Al-Bishi, Thamer Al-Ali, Hussain Al-Eisa, Sultan Akouz, Yahya Naji, Wadhah Al-Otaibi, Mubarak Al-Sagoor, Hazzaa Al-Ghamdi, Sultan Hawsawi
Goalkeepers: Vladimir Stojkovic, Faisal Al-Masrahi
Defenders: Sami Al-Khaybari, Husein Al-Shuwaish, Mohanad Al-Qaydhi, Abdullah Al-Shamekh, Mokher Al-Rashidi, Osama Al-Khalaf
Midfielders: GOJKO CIMIROT, VÍCTOR RUIZ, Ricardo Ryller, Saud Zidan, Hazza Asseri, Ali Al-Zaqan, Abdulrahman Al-Safari
Forwards: HENRY ONYEKURU, FASHION SAKALA, Milan Pavkov, Anthony Nwakaeme, Sultan Mandashy, Khalid Al-Kabi, Mohammed Majrashi, Malik Al-Abdulmonem
Goalkeepers: IBRAHIM SEHIC, Marwan Al-Haidari, Rayan Al-Dossary
Defenders:LISANDRO LÓPEZ, Pedro Rebocho, Pedro Amaral, Mohammed Al-Khabrani, Abdullah Al-Shanqiti, Bander Al-Mutairi, Hani Al-Sebyani, Saeed Al-Hamsl, Omar Al-Oudah
Midfielders: WOO-YOUNG JUNG, Hisham Al-Dubais, Abdullah Al-Samti, Hassan Al-Majhad, Hamad Al-Abdan, Ayman Al-Hujaili
Forwards: IVO RODRIGUES, Fábio Martins, Malek Al-Darwish, Mohammed Al-Sahli, Abdullah Al-Salem, Riyadh Al-Ibrahim
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