10 famous players in Saudi Pro League history: Ronaldo the king; Neymar’s costly gamble

The Saudi Pro League is no longer a distant or unknown territory for football enthusiasts across the globe. In recent years, an endless stream of oil-funded capital has flowed into the European transfer market, allowing clubs in this Middle Eastern playground to secure at least one world-class star for their squads. 

From a national league once ranked outside the world's top 50, the billion-dollar deal between Al Nassr and Ronaldo in early 2023 completely changed the destiny of Saudi football. Now, every six months, the transfer market trembles as new "blockbusters" are detonated in the desert. 

Selecting the ten most prominent names in the history of the league has become a challenging task for Nowgoalmobi. We have accepted this challenge, and the article below identifies the most legendary figures based on their career success and social media influence.

10 famous players in Saudi Pro League history

10. Aymeric Laporte

Laporte joined Al Nassr in August 2023 from Manchester City for a fee of approximately £23.5 million. Before moving to the Middle East, Laporte enjoyed a glittering career in Europe, most notably at Etihad from 2018 to 2023. 

During his 180 appearances for the Citizens, he scored 12 goals and secured 5 Premier League titles, two FA Cups, and a Champions League trophy. As a mainstay for the Spanish national team with 43 caps, he also played a vital role in winning Euro 2024. At Al Nassr, the left-footed center-back has played over 60 matches, scoring 9 goals. But now, in the summer of last year, he decided to leave Al Awwal stadium to return to his former club Athletic Bilbao. 

9. Sergej Milinković-Savić 

Milinković-Savić transferred to Al Hilal in July 2023 from Lazio for €40 million. During his eight-year tenure at Lazio (2015-2023), he became a club legend, playing 341 matches and scoring 69 goals while winning the Coppa Italia. On the international stage, he is a cornerstone for Serbia with over 50 caps. 

Since arriving in Saudi Arabia, Savic has been instrumental in Al Hilal's dominance, making over 70 appearances and recording more than 25 goals and 25 assists. He recently helped the club secure the 2023/24 league title and remains active as one of the league's most efficient playmakers.

8. Aleksandar Mitrović 

Mitrović moved to Al Hilal in August 2023 from Fulham for a club-record fee of £45 million. Mitrović arrived after a historic stint in England, where he set the Championship record with 43 goals in a single season (2021-22). 

Serbia's all-time leading scorer has translated that form perfectly to the Saudi Pro League. In his debut season, he netted 40 goals in 43 games across all competitions. To date, he has amassed nearly 50 goals for Al Hilal, leading them to a league title and the King’s Cup. He is currently still the primary striking force for the Riyadh-based giants.

7. N’Golo Kanté

Kanté joined Al Ittihad in July 2023 as a free agent following the expiration of his contract at Chelsea. Kanté's European legacy is immense; he won back-to-back Premier League titles with Leicester City and Chelsea, as well as the 2021 Champions League. 

He was a pivotal figure in France's 2018 World Cup victory. Despite injury concerns late in his Chelsea career, Kanté has been a constant presence for Al Ittihad, appearing in over 100 matches and helping the club win the 2025 league title.

6. Ivan Toney 

Toney made a high-profile switch to Al Ahli in August 2024 for a fee of £40 million from Brentford. Toney rose from the lower leagues of England to become one of the Premier League's most feared strikers, scoring 72 goals in 141 games for Brentford. An England international, Toney sought a new challenge at the peak of his career. 

At Al Ahli, he has maintained his clinical edge, scoring 23 goals in his first 27 appearances across all competitions. He remains a key figure for Al Ahli as they compete for domestic and continental honors.

5. Riyad Mahrez

Mahrez moved to Al Ahli in July 2023 from Manchester City for £30 million. Mahrez left Europe after winning a historic treble with City and five Premier League titles in total. The 2019 AFCON winner with Algeria has brought his signature flair to Saudi Arabia, recording 11 goals and 13 assists in his first season.

 To date, he has made over 70 appearances for Al Ahli, consistently ranking among the league's top providers. 

4. Sadio Mane 

Mané is an African football legend, having won everything with Liverpool between 2016 and 2022, including the Champions League and Premier League. He is Senegal's all-time top scorer and a two-time AFCON champion (2021, 2025). 

He officially joined Al Nassr in August 2023 from Bayern Munich for £24 million.  Since pairing up with Ronaldo at Al Nassr, Mané has scored over 40 goals for the club and helped them win the Arab Club Champions Cup. He continues to be a dominant force in the league.

3. Neymar Jr 

Neymar moved to Al Hilal in August 2023 from Paris Saint-Germain for a staggering €80 million. One of the most famous players in history, Neymar won the treble with Barcelona in 2015 and remains Brazil’s all-time leading scorer. 

His time in Saudi Arabia has been heavily impacted by injuries, limiting him to fewer than 10 appearances. Neymar sought a lifeline for his career in Saudi Arabia by deciding to return to his home country of Brazil, joining Santos, the club that first made him a household name, early last year. 

Last season, he played with great courage, scoring 8 goals in 20 appearances to help the Urbano Caldeira side avoid relegation in the final rounds of the Brazilian Serie A.

2. Karim Benzema

Benzema shocked the world by joining Al Ittihad in June 2023 as a free agent from Real Madrid. Benzema left Madrid as their second-highest scorer ever, with five Champions League titles and the 2022 Ballon d'Or. 

Since moving to Jeddah, the Frenchman has scored 21 goals in over 40 appearances. Despite some early adaptation challenges, he led Al Ittihad to a King’s Cup title and remains the captain and focal point of their project.

1. Cristiano Ronaldo

The five-time Ballon d'Or winner and highest scorer in football history changed the league forever since he joined Al Nassr in January 2023 as a free agent after his departure from Manchester United.

Ronaldo has since scored over 110 goals for Al Nassr in approximately 130 appearances. He won the Arab Club Champions Cup in 2023 and set the record for most goals in a single Saudi Pro League season (35). At 40 years old, he is still the face of the league and continuing the quest for silverware in Saudi Arabia with Al Nassr.. 

Top 10 famous players in Saudi Pro League history:

Cristiano Ronaldo (Al Nassr)

Karim Benzema (Al Ittihad)

Neymar Jr (Al Hilal)

Sadio Mané (Al Nassr)

Riyad Mahrez (Al Ahli)

Ivan Toney (Al Ahli)

N'Golo Kanté (Al Ittihad)

Aleksandar Mitrović (Al Hilal)

Sergej Milinković-Savić (Al Hilal)

Aymeric Laporte (Al Nassr)

In this article, Nowgoalmobi.net has listed the most famous players in Saudi Pro League who have graced the pitches of the Middle East. If you want to update the latest football news, gain unique perspectives through in-depth analysis, and collect valuable data before every match, visit our homepage here.