Ex-Liverpool star Roberto Firmino stole the show on his competitive debut for Saudi Pro League outfit Al-Ahli, while two other former Premier League players also impressed in the same game but Edouard Mendy made a huge mistake.
What did Roberto Firmino do on his Saudi debut?
This summer has seen an influx of top European footballers head to Saudi Arabia and it will be interesting to see how they get on individually as well as how the league develops.
Al Ahli have recruited a number of big names over the past few months, picking up Firmino on a free from Liverpool after his contract expired, while also landing Riyad Mahrez from Manchester City for a reported £30m and Allan Saint-Maximin from Newcastle United for a reported £23m.
The trio all started Al Ahli’s opening Pro League fixture, as they began their 2023/24 campaign against Al-Hazm as did Mendy who arrived from Chelsea for around £16m.
It didn’t take long for the former Premier League outfield players to impress either, as some good build-up play involving Saint-Maximin and Mahrez led to Firmino heading in the opening strike of the game, his first competitive goal for the club, after just six minutes.
You can see that effort below.
The second goal really was a thing of beauty and a true piece of collaboration from the trio as Saint-Maximin picked the ball up inside his own half and charged upfield before finding Mahrez in space.
The former Man City man carried the ball along the flank before drilling in an inch-perfect cross with his right foot as Firmino arrived with immaculate timing to tap in his second.
As noted by well-known Crystal Palace podcaster HLTCO, the sound made by the Al-Ahli fans as the ball went in really was something to behold.
Indeed, he wrote on Twitter: “The noise that accompanies this Roberto Firmino goal for Al-Ahly is insane.”
And that wasn’t all the Brazilian ace had for his new set of supporters as he completed his hat-trick in the second half as he bundled the ball over the line after initially having an effort saved from close range.
Seeing as he was wearing the captain’s armband, this was a pretty impressive way to start his career in the Saudi Pro League and Firmino’s goals were ultimately enough to seal a 3-1 win on the day.
However, the goal they did concede came from an absolute howler from former Chelsea goalkeeper Mendy.
The shot-stopper received the ball from a back pass under little pressure but played it directly to opposition player Vinícius Goes Barbosa de Souza, known as Vinícius, who simply lobbed the embarrassed 31-year-old.
What players have joined the Saudi Pro League?
Beyond the aforementioned trio, a whole host of other stars have followed Cristiano Ronaldo to the Middle East this summer.
Perhaps most notably, former Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema has joined Al-Ittihad, where he will play with N’Golo Kante formerly of Chelsea.
Other big names could also head to the Saudi Pro League before the window closes, with Franck Kessie of Barcelona linked with Al-Ahli, and even PSG’s biggest star Kylian Mbappe also touted as a target for Al-Hilal.
For all transfer updates and rumours, Football Fancast has you covered here.