---

September 15, 2024

10 Greatest Strikers in Saudi Pro League History [Ranked]

In recent years, an increasing number of the world’s top footballers have joined clubs in the Saudi Pro League. Saudi Arabia is making significant strides to raise its profile in global football, with the country all but confirmed as the host for the 2034 World Cup and plans for 11 new stadiums in the works.

You might wonder why Neymar is absent from the rankings. While the Brazilian has had an outstanding career, he’s currently sidelined with an injury and needs to contribute more in Saudi Arabia to earn a spot.

These rankings focus specifically on players’ performances and achievements in the Saudi Pro League rather than their overall careers. Among the most prominent names to join is Cristiano Ronaldo, who made the move after leaving Manchester United in 2022. With that context, here are the greatest strikers in the history of the Saudi Pro League.

10. Karim Benzema

Al-Ittihad

While Karim Benzema has yet to be as prolific for Al-Ittihad as he was during his 14 iconic years with Real Madrid, he’s starting to find his form in the Saudi Pro League. Benzema, a player comfortable on the biggest stage, found the back of the net for Al-Ittihad in their 3-0 win over Auckland in the 2023 FIFA Club World Cup. He also scored in the semi-final of the 2024 Saudi Super Cup, helping his team beat Al-Wehda 2-1, but was unable to secure the trophy, as they were defeated 4-1 by Al-Hilal in the final.

9. Sadio Mané

Al-Nassr

Forming a lethal partnership up front with Cristiano Ronaldo at Al-Nassr, Sadio Mané may not have reached the heights he did at Liverpool, but he remains a dangerous threat. The Senegalese star has scored 19 goals in 50 appearances across all competitions in Saudi Arabia. At 32, Senegal’s all-time top scorer aims to get back to consistent scoring and break into the top 10 scorers in the league. Any concerns about Mané’s fitness are quickly dispelled—he played 46 games for Al-Nassr during the 2023/24 season, though rumors suggest he could make a move to Al-Ittihad.

8. Yasser Al-Qahtani

Al-Hilal

Yasser Al-Qahtani, the former captain of Saudi Arabia, earned 108 caps for his country and scored 140 goals across all competitions for Saudi clubs. A standout moment in his career was scoring in the 2006 World Cup against Tunisia. Al-Qahtani was a dominant force in Saudi football and even received a trial offer from Manchester City during Sven-Göran Eriksson’s time as manager. In 2007, he netted in Saudi Arabia’s Asian Cup semi-final victory over Japan, though they lost the final 1-0 to Iraq. That same year, Al-Qahtani was named Asian Footballer of the Year.

7. Bafétimbi Gomis

Al-Hilal

French striker Bafétimbi Gomis significantly impacted his four seasons with Al-Hilal from 2018 to 2022, which were bookended by successful spells at Turkish club Galatasaray. Known for his time in the Premier League, Gomis earned caps for the French national team, scoring in friendlies against Ecuador and Italy. With 105 goals in 146 games for Al-Hilal, His contributions were crucial to the club’s success, scoring the injury-time winner in the 2019 AFC Champions League final against Urawa Red Diamonds and helping them win the tournament again in 2021. Gomis is also remembered for his time at Swansea City, where he netted 17 goals in 71 appearances, including a memorable winner against Arsenal in 2014.

6. Mohammed Al-Sahlawi

Al-Qadsiah, Al-Nassr, Al-Shabab, Al-Taawoun

Currently fourth on the Saudi Pro League’s all-time top scorers list, Mohammed Al-Sahlawi had an impressive international career, scoring 27 goals in 42 caps, including appearances at the 2018 World Cup. Al-Sahlawi is most closely associated with Al-Nassr, where he reached double figures in six seasons. His standout season was 2014/15, when he scored 21 goals, leading Al-Nassr to one of his three Saudi Pro League titles. He scored 120 goals in 252 appearances across all competitions for Al-Nassr.

5. Aleksandar Mitrovic

Al-Hilal

Widely regarded as one of Serbia’s finest footballers, Aleksandar Mitrovic didn’t head to Saudi Arabia to ease into retirement. When he joined Al-Hilal in 2023, he was still at the height of his career, and his impressive goal-scoring form reflects that. With a remarkable strike rate, he can score 100 goals for the club in the next two seasons. In the 2024 Saudi Super Cup Final, Mitrovic outshone Cristiano Ronaldo by netting two goals in Al-Hilal’s 4-1 victory over Al-Nassr. By the end of the 2023/24 season, he had scored 40 goals in 43 appearances for Al-Hilal across all competitions.

4. Nasser Al-Shamrani

Al-Wehda, Al-Shabab, Al-Hilal, Al-Ittihad

Saudi Arabian forward Nasser Al-Shamrani enjoyed a long and successful career spanning 18 seasons in the Saudi Pro League, making him the league’s all-time top scorer since its rebranding in 2000. Al-Shamrani’s most tremendous success came during his time with Al-Shabab, where his consistency set him apart. While he may not have hit as high a goal tally in a single season as others on this list, his consistently reaching double figures year after year cements his place among the league’s greats. His international career was equally dependable, averaging a goal every four games for the Saudi Arabian national team.

3. Omar Al-Somah

Al-Ahli

Syrian international Omar Al-Somah had an outstanding goal-scoring record during his eight seasons at Al-Ahli, including the 2015/16 campaign when he fired in 27 goals in just 22 games, leading the club to a Saudi Pro League title. His remarkable hat-trick in a 4-2 win over Al-Nassr that season highlighted his prowess. Al-Somah’s career could have taken a different path—he had a successful trial with Nottingham Forest in 2012, but the move fell through due to work permit issues. Nonetheless, his 0.8 goals per game average in the Saudi Pro League makes him deserving of his high ranking on this list.

2. Abderrazak Hamdallah

Al-Nassr, Al-Ittihad, Al-Shabab

Though not a global superstar, Morocco international Abderrazak Hamdallah boasts an exceptional goal-scoring record in the Saudi Pro League. At 27, he joined Al-Nassr in 2018 and immediately made an impact, scoring 34 goals in his debut season, which led the club to a Saudi Pro League title. His move to Al-Ittihad brought even more success, as Hamdallah netted 52 goals in 63 appearances over three seasons, helping the club win the league title in 2023. Nicknamed “The Executioner,” Hamdallah was the world’s top scorer in 2019, with 35 goals—one more than Lionel Messi’s total that year.

1. Cristiano Ronaldo

Al-Nassr

While other players may have more overall goals in the Saudi Pro League, Cristiano Ronaldo set a new league record in 2024 by becoming the inaugural player to score thirty-five goals in a single season. “I don’t follow records; records follow me,” Ronaldo famously stated after his two goals against Al-Ittihad surpassed Hamdallah’s previous record of 34 goals in the 2018/19 season. During the seasons of 2022–2023 and 2023–2024 Ronaldo scored 58 goals in 64 games for Al-Nassr across all competitions. With his tally now at 901 career goals after a strike against Scotland in the Nations League, Ronaldo edges ever closer to 1,000 career goals.

Be your team’s biggest fan! Explore our site to show them how much you believe in them.

Footballnewstoday | La Liga 2 | Saudi Pro League | Major League Soccer | J League | EFL Championship | Brazilian Serie A