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February 2, 2024

Tough Month for Saudi Pro League’s International Stars at AFCON and Asian Cup – Saudi Pro League

Football in Saudi Arabia is on the rise. Yet, the SPL’s star players have struggled to make an impact at both the AFCON and Asian Cup tournaments.

A strong league expects its champions to shine on all fronts. For instance, the English Premier League basked in the glory of Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah, who took part in the Africa Cup of Nations in the 2021 final for Senegal and Egypt. Similarly, it took pride in shaping the careers of World Cup winners from Argentina, such as Emiliano Martinez and Alexis Mac Allister.

The Premier League is unabashed about its global influence and the quality of its players, a stance mirrored by Saudi Arabia’s Pro League, which has aggressively recruited top talent. Last summer’s major signings included accomplished international players eager to add to their accolades.

However, by mid-month, the Saudi Pro League faced disappointment as its players returned from the Asian Cup and AFCON with few medals. Over 50 Pro League players participated, but Saudi Arabia’s early exit in the Asian Cup—losing to South Korea on penalties—raised concerns about the league’s strategy of importing expensive foreign talent.

Roberto Mancini, the high-profile head coach of the national team, still needs to meet expectations. He has also raised valid concerns about the impact of numerous foreign players in the Pro League on opportunities for local talent.

It has been a tough month for many African players in the Pro League. Senegal, the defending champions, were eliminated in the last 16 on penalties, a significant setback for Mane, captain Kalidou Koulibaly, Al Ahli goalkeeper Edouard Mendy, and striker Habib Diallo, who all transitioned from European clubs to Saudi Arabia.

Assigning a collective loss of competitive edge to their switch clubs would be unfair, especially considering that Mane—who had a difficult 2022–2023 season at Bayern Munich—and Koulibaly—who describes his transfer from Chelsea to Al Hilal as “one of the best decisions I made in my life”—are both obviously Compared to their previous clubs, they were happier in Saudi Arabia.

Koulibaly, who is currently leading the Saudi Pro League, will resume his club season. Diallo showcased his sharpness during AFCON, scoring two goals for Ivory Coast—much sharper than his performances for Al Shabab. Despite a frustrating tournament, Mane entered AFCON in good form for Al Nassr, having netted eight in 18 games, scoring goals and dishing out four assists alongside Cristiano Ronaldo.

However, no Senegalese players will return to Riyadh or Jeddah with fresh AFCON gold medals. Similarly, Riyad Mahrez won’t be smiling at Al Ahli; his Algeria, which he led to the 2019 AFCON title, faced a humiliating group-stage exit in Ivory Coast. As captain, Mahrez had so little impact that he was benched by the third match.

Although Mahrez enjoyed a successful last season with Manchester City, winning a treble, he has had substantial numbers in his first five months in the Pro League, with 19 games and 15 goal contributions. However, in comments to L’Equipe, he noted that the standards in the Saudi league are not as demanding as those in the English league, where he worked for Manchester City and Leicester for ten years.

“The Saudi league has real quality,” he told the French newspaper. “But you can’t compare it with Europe. But shortly, at the current rate, it can be one of the five, six or seven best leagues in the world.”

Since leaving Manchester City, Mahrez has faced criticism regarding his physical conditioning and work rate, particularly for his effort off the ball. Former Saudi Arabia player Mohammed Noor voiced this concern in November, stating, “He puts in a minimum of effort,” a sentiment echoed by other commentators and amplified by recent critiques of his AFCON performances.

Throughout the disappointing tournament for North African teams, other Pro League players have also been highlighted for their shortcomings. Romain Saiss, Morocco’s key defender and a summer signing for Al Shabab, was at fault for the first goal in Morocco’s 2-0 defeat to South Africa, which led to Morocco’s exit in the last 16.

Al Ittihad’s Pro League winner Ahmed Hegazy has drawn criticism in Egypt for his transition from a stalwart of a historically strong Pharaohs defense to a senior figure on a team that conceded seven goals in four matches, including three from simple crosses that exposed their lack of vigilance.

Despite the struggles, the Pro League still has star representatives at AFCON. Ivory Coast, which narrowly advanced as one of the best third-placed teams, owes much to Franck Kessie, a league champion with both AC Milan and Barcelona who now plays for Al Ahli. His two penalties—one a late equalizer and the other the decisive kick in the shootout against Senegal—were crucial to their progress.

Kessie and Seko Fofana from Al Nassr are pivotal to Ivory Coast’s midfield. Although their performance has been inconsistent, if they find their rhythm against Mali on Saturday, they could lead the team to the semifinals. Kessie and Fofana are just two games away from bringing home some gold to their new Gulf clubs.

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