The Saudi Pro League has arguably grabbed the most attention from football fans across the globe this summer. We are witnessing something that has never been seen before, a real takeover. The much-anticipated start to the season lived up to all the hype and will be interesting to see who will be crowned champions of the 2023-24 season.
The 2023-24 campaign will be the 16th Saudi Pro League season since it began in 2008. For the first time, there will be 18 teams participating in the Saudi topflight, two more than last season and six more than in the inaugural 2008-09 campaign.
The reigning Saudi Pro League champions Al-Ittihad will be looking to seal back-to-back titles under the stewardship of former Wolves and Tottenham boss Nuno Espirito Santo. The inclusion of Karim Benzema, Fabinho and N’Golo Kante has made headlines and certainly lifted the quality and standards of the club. Al-Ittihad currently sits in third place with four wins out of five, scoring 15 goals and conceding four which speaks volumes on how strong they are on the attack but also defensively sound. The Jeddah-based side are the side to keep your eye on this season.
Al-Hilal did not waste any time in the transfer market this season and have signed key players to boost their roster. Wolves and Portugal star Ruben Neves as well as midfield giant Sergej Milinkovic-Savic from Lazio along with Kalidou Koulibaly from Chelsea and exciting winger Malcom from Zenit St. Petersburg. Al-Hilal are one of two teams unbeaten so far this campaign and with Neymar still to set foot on the pitch for Al-Hilal, there is no telling how far this team can go. Historically, Al-Hilal is the juggernaut of Saudi and, arguably, Asian football, although Al-Ittihad have threatened that dominance in the last year.
Al-Nassr or now commonly known as Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr will hope to go one better this season after finishing as runners-up in the Saudi Pro League last season. The Riyadh-based side had a poor start to the campaign, losing their opening two fixtures after winning the Arab Club Champions Cup for the first time in the club’s history. Al-Nassr have bounced back in fine style picking up three consecutive victories, scoring 14 goals and conceding just a single goal across these three games. Adding to the firepower Ronaldo provides, former Liverpool and Bayern Munich forward Sadio Mané has been brought in to bolster the attack as they set sights on claiming the crown this season.
Al-Ahli are on the way back. Last season saw them win the first division title to earn a place back in the topflight for 2023-24 and they’ve wasted little time this season building a squad that can challenge with the top sides from last campaign. Al-Ahli’s summer business has seen them raid the English Premier League for some of their stars. The quartet of treble-winning forward Riyad Mahrez from Manchester City, Liverpool fan-favourite Roberto Firmino, Newcastle winger Allan Saint-Maximin and 2021 UEFA Champions League winner Edouard Mendy from Chelsea have all arrived. They’ve also been joined by Franck Kessié from Barcelona. Al-Ahli hold fourth spot on 12 points from five games, four victories and one loss. This team is definitely a strong candidate to win the league this season.
Al-Ettifaq have appointed Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard as their head coach for the season and will certainly have his work cut out challenging for a top-four spot with a side that managed to finish in seventh place last season. However, in Jordan Henderson, he does at least have a proven leader who will add experience and undeniable quality to the most important area of the pitch, while Scotland international Jack Hendry is a decent addition to a defence that performed admirably last season. Gerrard has had a steady start to the season languishing in fifth place with three wins, one draw and a loss. Consistency will be key for Gerrard as they try to break into that coveted top four spots.
Al-Taawon are looking like a team on a mission and certainly a surprise package for all the big hitters to keep an eye on. Al-Taawon are unbeaten so far and currently in second place, level on points with leaders Al-Hilal, both teams with 13 points from five games respectively. Hard work and consistency will play a major role on how far they can go this season. Mid-table is so tightly congested at the moment, from seventh place down to 15th place, the points difference is two points which will change as the season progresses. There will be a lot of work to be done for these teams as they try to give a good account of themselves and try to pinch points off the favourites. Competing at this high level never comes easy and approaching the game in the right frame of mind and the correct attitude and willingness to win can go a long way for the so-called smaller teams.
My biggest concerns so far are for Damak, Al-Shabab and Al-Hazm. These three clubs are yet to register a victory this season and are looking far off the pace. Playing at this level requires a huge amount of determination and commitment which will help grind out results on the field and sticking to the game plan for these teams will be crucial as they find ways to move out of the relegation zone.
Written by Marc Strydom