Rise of African Football Stars in Saudi Clubs: Impact on Saudi Championship and International Football

As reported by Le Monde in its edition of November 10, 2023, the spectacular summer transfer window of Saudi clubs made it possible to attract “African players from very high level” such as the Senegalese Sadio Mané (Al-Nassr) and Kalidou Koulibaly (Al-Hilal), the Algerian Riyad Mahrez (Al-Ahli), the Moroccan Yassine Bounou (Al-Hilal) or the Ivorian Franck Kessié (Al-Ahli). These football stars, previously playing “in the best European championships”, were seduced by “salaries that they would never have received in Europe”, notes the newspaper. While a third of the Saudi championship has been contested, “the results of African players are largely positive, since eleven of them are among the twenty top scorers”, including Sadio Mané (6 goals) and Riyad Mahrez (5 goals ). According to Marcel Tisserand, DR Congo international defender playing at Al-Ettifaq, “Sadio Mané, Ryad Mahrez, Kalidou Koulibaly or Franck Kessié, to name but a few, still had the level to play at the highest level and compete in the League champions.” These stars “arrived in great shape, motivated, and they are among those who are pulling the Saudi championship to the top,” he analyzes. French coach Denis Lavagne, present during an Al-Hilal match, was also “impressed by the level displayed by Yassine Bounou and Kalidou Kouylibaly”. He adds that he does not have the “impression of seeing Sadio Mané evolve in a golden closet”. Striker Karim Benzema explained to him that he had chosen Saudi Arabia for religious reasons, being “important to live in a Muslim country” as a “Muslim”. Thus, thanks to African stars and despite prejudices, Saudi football reaches a level which commands respect, carried by players who are “very concerned” and eager to perform on the field.
2023-11-11 22:49:27
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