The five best players in Saudi Arabia so far this season

Updated: 12 Oct 2023 16:38 BST
6 min read

Cristiano Ronaldo, Al-Nassr, Saudi Arabia — © ProShots

The Saudi Pro League burst onto the scene to upset the European apple cart in the summer.

Thanks to lavish funding from the Kingdom's Public Investment Fund (PIF), which also owns Premier League outfit Newcastle, the Pro League's four giants were able to lure some of European football's biggest names to the Middle East.

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Al-Hilal, Al-Nassr, Al-Ahli and reigning champions Al-Ittihad splashed the cash on the likes of Neymar, Riyad Mahrez and Fabinho, while N'Golo Kante and Karim Benzema headed east on free transfers.

However, none of these megastars have impressed enough to make our top five of the best players in Saudi Arabia so far this season, though Kante has been predictably great even scoring a rare stunning goal recently. Neymar has also been outstanding, but he simply hasn't played enough to warrant inclusion.

READ: The Premier League’s five best summer signings so far

Is Ronaldo finished? pic.twitter.com/ykXGnCXbxb
— Football Transfers (@Transfersdotcom) September 23, 2023

Cristiano Ronaldo (Al-Nassr)

Still going strong at 38, Cristiano Ronaldo has arguably been the best player in the Saudi Pro League since arriving in the winter and he is once again showing that he still very much got it despite his age. Ronaldo has hit 10 goals and five assists in just 8 league games, while also scoring once in the AFC Champions League.

Malcom (Al-Hilal)

After a very poor season by their lofty standards last term, Al-Hilal are back on top and Malcom, the Pro League's erstwhile record signing before Neymar's arrival, has been the most productive player on the team, scoring six and assisting three in nine games. The €60 million ex-Barcelona man is only behind Ronaldo and Mourad Batna in terms of goal involvements.

READ: Why it's IMPOSSIBLE for Barcelona to sign Messi on loan

Moussa Dembele (Al-Ettifaq)

A player who didn't make the same kind of headlines as some of the other names here when he arrived, Moussa Dembele has been quietly outstanding for Steven Gerrard's Al-Ettifaq. The former Celtic and Lyon striker has nine goals and an assist in nine games in all competitions so far.

Sadio Mane (Al-Nassr)

Eyebrows were raised when Sadio Mane departed Bayern after just one season, but the Liverpool legend has found a way out of his Bundesliga rut alongside Ronaldo. At Al-Nassr, Mane has hit six goals and notched two assists in eight games, at times even outshining Ronaldo with his performances.

Musa Barrow (Al-Taawoun)

Easily the most obscure player and club on this list, former Atalanta wonderkid Musa Barrow is 24 now and playing for this season's surprise package, Al-Taawoun. A club that spent next to nothing compared to the league's big four, Al-Taawoun are, shockingly, second in the table and Barrow's four goals - in just 344 minutes of football - have helped to propel them up the standings.