The standout Saudis lighting up 2024-25 RSL | OneFootball

For all the excitement and attention that the international stars of the Roshn Saudi League receive, the bedrock of the competition remains the nurturing and development of local Saudi talent.

Whether old or young, the RSL provides Saudi players with the best platform to develop and showcase their ability, and already this season we’ve seen a number of standouts across the competition.

As the 2024-25 RSL is on a hiatus for its winter break, we name a few that have had particularly stellar seasons thus far.

Abdullah Al Salem - Al Khaleej

A late bloomer at 31 years-old, the Al Khaleej youth product is having the season of his life as the Saihat-based club flirt with the upper reaches of the table with new manager Georgios Donis.

Through a run of four straight victories from Matchweek 8 to 11, Al Salem was almost unstoppable, bagging six goals in the process. Those came via a hat-trick of braces, against Al Raed, Al Fateh and, most impressively, in the remarkable victory to halt defending champions Al Hilal’s far-reaching unbeaten RSL record.

With seven goals in total for the campaign through the opening 13 games, Al Salem is by some distance the leading Saudi scorer in the league and has already achieved a career best for number of goals in a campaign, surpassing his previous best of six (in 2014-15 and 2016-17).

Turki Al Ammar - Al Qadsiah

Much was expected of Al Qadsiah and their new band of foreign superstars this season, and with the team sitting fourth at the break, they are living up to expectations.

What might not have been as expected, however, is the form of 25-year-old Al Ammar, who joined the Al Khobar-based club last season in the Saudi First Division League.

Always highly regarded as an emerging player at Al Shabab, the midfielder helped Saudi Arabia to the AFC U19 Championship crown in 2018, where he was named MVP and consequently the AFC Young Player of the Year. More success came at the AFC U23 Championships in 2022.

Opportunities at Al Shabab had become limited, however, and the move to Al Qadsiah has proved a shrewd one. This season, Al Ammar already has two goals and four assists, placing him among the top few Saudi players for goal contributions this season (six).

Musab Al Juwayr - Al Shabab

There’s arguably no more exciting young talent in the league at present than Al Juwayr, as evidenced by the midfielder sweeping the RSL Young Player of the Month award for the first three months of the 2024-25 season.

The precociously talented 21-year-old, who is enjoying a second campaign on loan at Al Shabab from Al Hilal, has been instrumental in the club’s resurgence, with two goals and three assists so far this season (he had already netted once and registered an assist for Al Hilal before his September move).

With poise and experience beyond his years, Al Juwayr has four Young Player of the Month awards in this calendar year having also picked up the honour in April, at the tail end of the 2023-24 season.

Abdullah Al Khaibari - Al Nassr

Surrounded by a phalanx of international stars, including a certain Cristiano Ronaldo, the work of Al Khaibari can sometimes be missed at first glance.

With the likes of Marcelo Brozovic, Sadio Mane and Otavio around him, the 28-year-old tends to fly somewhat under the radar. But once again he is proving to be an important cog in this Al Nassr side as they look to overcome a sluggish start to haul in the likes of Al Ittihad and Al Hilal at the top of the table.

The stat that perhaps best epitomises Al Khaibari’s endeavour is that he is ranked first at Al Nassr for tackles this season, with 30, underlining the determined displays that have become the pivotal midfielder’s calling card.

Mohannad Al Shanqiti - Al Ittihad

So long has Al Shanqeeti been at Al Ittihad that it’s hard to believe he is still only 25 years of age.

Laurent Blanc has clearly taken a liking in his debut season, with the right-back locking down that position and making it his own this season. As such, Al Shanqeeti has become a crucial part to the league leaders’ backline – one that has conceded the second fewest goals this term (nine).

A defender who loves to get forward, outside of Moussa Diaby, Al Shanqeeti is the joint-leading assist provider at the club this season. It highlights his importance to the team in attack as much as defence.

Meshari Sunyur - Al Raed

With regular No.1 goalkeeper Andre Moreira sidelined until the end of November, the unheralded Sunyur took his opportunity between the sticks and made the decision as to who wears the shirt a difficult one for when Moreira returned.

The 23-year-old had been on the books at Al Raed since 2018 without ever featuring in a single RSL game - until this season. And what a debut he made, starring in the 1-1 draw at Al Nassr on the opening matchweek of the season.

Going on to play the first 10 rounds, Sunyur took the opportunity with – ahem - both hands, with his saves-per-90 stat the second best in the league at 4.3, with a total of 43 shots saved across that period.

While Moreira has returned to full fitness and thus taken his place between the sticks, Sunyur has shown he is more than ready to step up to the plate whenever called upon.

Morad Khodari - Al Wehda

At only 21, the name Morad Khodari has been on the lips of talent scouts for several years given his impressive performances in the youth ranks at Al Ahli - and with the first team during their one season in the Saudi First Division League, in 2022-23.

Moving to Al Wehda, a club and city with which he has incredibly strong ties, we are starting the see glimpses of what has had people so excited by the youngster.

With three goals from 10 appearances this season, all coming off the bench, Khodari is joint-top scorer at Al Wehda despite seeing only 227 minutes of action.