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Moussa Diaby joins Al-Ittihad from Aston Villa

Moussa Diaby joins Al-Ittihad from Aston Villa
Diaby is expected to boost Al-Ittihad’s attacking threat. (Photos: Ittihad)
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Updated 25 July 2024
Arab News
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Moussa Diaby joins Al-Ittihad from Aston Villa

Moussa Diaby joins Al-Ittihad from Aston Villa
  • Moussa Diaby joins fellow Frenchmen Karim Benzema and Ngolo Kante in Jeddah
Updated 25 July 2024
Arab News
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RIYADH: Frenchman Moussa Diaby has joined Al-Ittihad, the club announced on Thursday.
The Jeddah team posted an announcement video with the player wearing Ittihad’s black and yellow jersey.
He will join the Tigers on a five-year contract after successfully passing a medical exam in Alicante, Spain, a club statement said.
“Hello Tigers, I am here,” Diaby announces in the video, holding a vintage rotary phone.
“I am thrilled to join Al-Ittihad and be part of a project that aims to build a strong team reflecting the club’s rich history and values. I look forward to collaborating with my new teammates to achieve victories and bring joy to our dedicated fans,” said the Frenchman.
“Diaby has an impressive track record, having played in the top leagues of France, Germany, and England, where he has showcased his talent and skill as a winger,” the statement read.
Domingos Oliveira, the CEO of Ittihad, said: “Our sports committee identified the need to strengthen the winger position with an exceptional player, and we are confident that Moussa Diaby is one of the top players who stand out globally in this role.”
The 25-year-old midfielder played 54 games for English Premier League side Aston Villa, including 25 appearances last season during their impressive fourth place finish.
In Spain, the player was welcomed by the team’s sporting director, Ramon Planes, and introduced to his new teammates and the technical and administrative staff.
He joins fellow Frenchmen Karim Benzema and Ngolo Kante in the west coast city.
The left-footed Diaby, a pacy and versatile player, is not known for scoring lots of goals but his attacking threat will be an advantage for the Tigers.
Ittihad had a disappointing season last year with a fifth place finish, after winning the Saudi Pro League title a year earlier.
The Jeddah side has brought in veteran French player Laurent Blanc as coach to boost their chances against the other big three clubs in the SPL: Al-Hilal, Al-Nassr and Al-Ahli.
Ittihad are currently in pre-season training in Spain and will play Seville on Friday.

Topics: Moussa Diaby SPL Al-ittihad

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Hilal, Ettifaq return to winning ways

Hilal, Ettifaq return to winning ways
Updated 3 min 56 sec ago
John Duerden
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Hilal, Ettifaq return to winning ways

Hilal, Ettifaq return to winning ways
  • Blue Waves’ victory over Al-Okhdood comes after surprise defeat at Al-Qadsiah
  • Brazilian Kaio Cesar put hosts ahead on debut in Saudi Arabia
Updated 3 min 56 sec ago
John Duerden

RIYADH: Al-Hilal returned to winning ways on Friday, defeating Al-Okhdood 4-0 to go three points clear of Al-Ittihad at the top of the Saudi Pro League table.
The victory, albeit against the relegation-threatened visitors, showed a return to form after the club’s surprise defeat to Al-Qadsiah earlier in the week.
Al-Hilal may have seen the departure of megastar Neymar but thanks to fellow Brazilian Kaio Cesar, who was making his debut in Saudi Arabia, the result was never in doubt. The 20-year-old winger fired home from close range in the fourth minute after a shot-cum-cross by Moteb Al-Harbi.


It was the perfect start but the Blue Waves had to wait until the end of the first half to establish their dominance.
Two minutes before the break, Serbian midfielder Sergej Milinkovic-Savic curled a free kick worthy of Cristiano Ronaldo into the top corner, and two minutes into added time Marcos Leonardo headed home at the far post following a headed cross from Saudi Arabian international Hassan Tambakti.
The Brazilian forward scored a second from close range just 10 minutes after the restart to seal the win.
While the victory put Al-Hilal back on top of the table, Al-Ittihad will join them on points if they beat Al-Kholood at home on Saturday.
Later on Friday Ettifaq recorded a much-needed 3-1 win over Al-Shabab, just a day after the departure of head coach Steven Gerrard.
Gini Wijnaldum put the hosts ahead after 35 minutes and despite a quick response from Abderazzak Hamdallah goals from Joao Costa and a second for the Dutchman deep into injury time put the game beyond reach.

Topics: Al-Hilal Saudi Pro League (SPL) Al-Okhdood

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Saudi Arabia’s sports minister promises ‘best World Cup experience’ in 2034

Saudi Arabia’s sports minister promises ‘best World Cup experience’ in 2034
Updated 31 January 2025
Arab News
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Saudi Arabia’s sports minister promises ‘best World Cup experience’ in 2034

Saudi Arabia’s sports minister promises ‘best World Cup experience’ in 2034
  • The minister discussed Saudi Arabia’s goal to transform its domestic football league into one of the world’s top five competitions
  • Al-Faisal also briefly discussed the probability of seeing Liverpool superstar forward Mohamed Salah playing in SPL
Updated 31 January 2025
Arab News

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Sports Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al-Faisal promised to deliver “the best World Cup experience” in 2034.
In an interview with Piers Morgan on Thursday, the minister discussed Saudi Arabia’s goal to transform its domestic football league into one of the world’s top five competitions.
In July, 2024, a Saudi delegation led by the minister officially submitted the Kingdom’s bid book to FIFA to host the FIFA World Cup 2034 at a ceremony hosted in Paris, France.
Al-Faisal said the Kingdom has been preparing for the FIFA bid for years now.
“We’ve been working tirelessly for six years, with monthly meetings with His Royal Highness [Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman] about details and what could work. Everything that we’re doing is part of the 2030 vision, whether we host the World Cup or not” he said.
During Thursday’s interview Al- Faisal also briefly discussed the probability of seeing Liverpool superstar forward Mohamed Salah playing in the Saudi Pro League.


“Definitely, because if he ticks all the right boxes, even for us, we’d love to have him,” the sports minister said. “We feel like we are one with the Egyptians, from our culture and our history and so on,” he added.
“It’d be a privilege to see Mo Salah here. He’s the most high-profile Muslim player in the world … He hasn’t signed a new contract yet. Up to the clubs now,” Prince Abdulaziz also told Morgan.
Meanwhile on Friday, AFP reported that Liverpool’s coach Arne Slot urged Salah to sign a new contract with Liverpool, advising the Egypt star against a potential lucrative move to Saudi Arabia.
Salah has been in sensational form this season but is out of contract in June, with speculation persisting that the Saudi Pro League could be a possible destination for the Egyptian superstar.
Liverpool manager Slot reiterated at his pre-match press conference on Friday that the club want to keep hold of their talismanic striker, who joined the club in 2017.
“We want him to extend, of course, as well,” he said. “That is clear, but I’m not surprised that Saudi wants him, I’m also not surprised if other countries want him as well.

Topics: football soccer Saudi Arabia 2034 FIFA World Cup Saudi World Cup 2034 bid Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al-Faisal Mo Salah

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Ronaldo shines again to send Al-Nassr third

Ronaldo shines again to send Al-Nassr third
Updated 30 January 2025
John Duerden
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Ronaldo shines again to send Al-Nassr third

Ronaldo shines again to send Al-Nassr third
  • 39-year-old scores, makes another to give Yellows fourth win in last 5 games
  • Ronaldo grabs 15th league goal of season after 35 minutes
Updated 30 January 2025
John Duerden

RIYADH: Cristiano Ronaldo was the star of the show once more as Al-Nassr won 2-1 at Al-Raed on Thursday to move within five points of Saudi Pro League leaders Al-Hilal and Al-Ittihad.
The 39-year-old scored one and made another to give the Yellows a fourth win from the last five.
Ronaldo got his 15th league goal of the season with 35 minutes on the clock, and while it was not the most spectacular, it could end up being crucial. Marcelo Brozovic floated a free-kick from deep, the defenders mistimed their runs but Ronaldo did not, and nipped in to stab home from close range.


It was 2-0 early in the second half. Ronaldo picked up the ball on the left side and produced a slide-rule pass into the area, but there was still a lot of work for Nawaf Boushal to do. The 25-year-old beat a defender for pace, jinked inside and then slotted past the goalkeeper for a very well-worked goal.
The hosts got themselves back into the game with 14 minutes remaining, scoring with a strike Ronaldo himself would have been proud of. Yousri Bouzok found Amir Sayoud on the edge of the area and the Algerian twisted and turned to make space for a shot and then curled the ball into the top corner.
It was a goal that deserved more than being a mere consolation, but the relegation-battling hosts could not quite get the second despite Al-Nassr looking rattled.
The visitors managed to hang on for what could be three very big points, although they are going to have to play better to really trouble the top two.
However, for now, the Yellows move to third, five points behind Al-Hilal and Al-Ittihad, but the top two can restore their eight-point advantage when they are next in action later in the week.
Earlier, fifth-placed Al-Ahli defeated Al-Orubah 2-0 to make it eight wins out of the last nine. Ziyad Al-Johani opened the scoring after just nine minutes. The Jeddah giants went on to dominate much of the game but struggled to find the second. With 13 minutes remaining, Firas Al-Buraikan had a goal ruled out for offside but then, deep inside added time, Ivan Toney secured the win from the penalty spot.

Topics: Al-Nassr Cristiano Ronaldo Al-Raed Saudi Pro League

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Lack of improvement meant Gerrard’s departure from Ettifaq was a matter of time

Lack of improvement meant Gerrard’s departure from Ettifaq was a matter of time
Updated 30 January 2025
John Duerden
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Lack of improvement meant Gerrard’s departure from Ettifaq was a matter of time

Lack of improvement meant Gerrard’s departure from Ettifaq was a matter of time
  • Team finished sixth in the former Liverpool’ player’s first season as coach, but there has been a clear lack of progress this term
Updated 30 January 2025
John Duerden

LONDON: When reports emerged that Steven Gerrard was leaving Ettifaq, it wasn’t much of a surprise.

The Liverpool legend, appointed in July 2023, lasted 18 months, and while there were a few highs, the returns given the money invested were, on the whole, quite low.

The same can be said of the club’s current 12th place, just five points clear of the relegation zone and a full 16 behind Al-Nassr in fourth.

The 2-2 draw at Al-Wehda on Saturday left Gerrard clearly disappointed with his players, and on Thursday night social media reports suggest that he was quitting for “personal reasons.” In hindsight, it was only a matter of time.

Getting into the top four was always going to be a tall order, but to at least challenge was the target. It’s clear that Ettifaq don’t have the financial power of the Big Four — Al-Hilal, Al-Nassr, Al-Ittihad and Al-Ahli — who have attracted the megastars, but with the talent available they should have the ability, however, to be fighting it out with Al-Shabab and Al-Taawoun in the next level below. At the very least, the two-time champions should not be four and five places, respectively, behind Al-Riyadh and Al-Khaleej. 

Last season there were some hiccups but Gerrard was handed a contract extension midway through and steered the team into sixth, an improvement on the previous campaign. There were more new faces incoming and this season started well with three straight wins and a lot of enthusiasm. But just two more victories came in the next 14 games. 

There is little doubt where the problem did lie — scoring goals. In the first 12 games of the season, they managed just nine and were too easy to defend against. Opposing defenders knew that if they could stop Moussa Dembele then there wasn’t much of an attacking threat from elsewhere. Former Liverpool midfielder, Gini Wijnaldum, has chipped in occasionally but Cameroonian forward Karl Toko-Ekambi, who scored six in 15 starts last season, has yet to find the target in eight appearances this time. Going forward, Ettifaq have too often been predictable and one-dimensional.

Yet there were recent improvements, with Ettifaq scoring 10 in the last five. In an attacking sense at least, there was more fluidity and rhythm. Was this another blip or a turning of a corner? We will never know. 

There is plenty of talent throughout the squad. Gerrard brought in midfielders such as Wijnaldum, Seko Fofana (since departed) and Alvaro Medran. He also has Saudi Arabian internationals such as defensive midfielder Abdulelah Al-Malki and forward Abdullah Radif, and defenders such as Madallah Al-Olayan and Abdullah Madu. 

Gerrard has not quite managed to deliver and his tactics have come in for criticism, not helped by a King’s Cup defeat against Al-Jabalain in October, a team then struggling in the second tier. His ability to manage matches was called into question. 

Results are always paramount but he wasn’t helped by comments he made to English media earlier in the season about arranging training so he could watch Liverpool’s games. “Both myself and John (Achterberg, goalkeeping coach) have got one eye on it. We put all our schedule around the Liverpool games. The players are on to me now; we’ve been training at 9 or 10 at night!”

Gerrard moved quickly to refute any suggestion that he was not fully focused on the Dammam club.

“I was asked if I still followed Liverpool and I said, ‘Of course I still follow Liverpool,’ they played a huge part of my life and shaped me as a player, person and coach I am today. I want to make it abundantly clear my priority is Ettifaq, I have a contract with Ettifaq and I am in a real privileged position.”

The comments may not have been serious but they didn’t go down well. Gerrard should have known this, as fans of his previous club Aston Villa sometimes wondered if he was there just to warm up for a future move back to Liverpool.

His performances in Saudi Arabia won’t make that any more likely but that is no longer Ettifaq’s concern. At least there is the example of Villa, who, after Gerrard, brought in Unai Emery and have not looked back.

Topics: Saudi Pro League

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Neymar thanks Saudi Arabia, Al-Hilal, fans after departing to Santos

Neymar thanks Saudi Arabia, Al-Hilal, fans after departing to Santos
Updated 28 January 2025
Arab News
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Neymar thanks Saudi Arabia, Al-Hilal, fans after departing to Santos

Neymar thanks Saudi Arabia, Al-Hilal, fans after departing to Santos
  • ‘To everyone at Al-Hilal, to the fans, thank you,’ Neymar writes on X
  • ‘To Saudi, thank you for giving me and my family a new home and new experiences. I now know the real Saudi and have friends for life’
Updated 28 January 2025
Arab News

BEIRUT: Brazilian forward Neymar took the opportunity on Tuesday to thank Saudi Arabia, Al-Hilal, and their fans after concluding his 17-month stint at the Saudi Pro League side.
“To everyone at Al-Hilal, to the fans, thank you,” said Neymar in a social media post on X, after returning to his Brazilian club Santos after originally leaving them in 2013 to join Barcelona.
He wrote: “I gave everything to play and I wish we (had) enjoyed better times on the pitch together.
“To Saudi, thank you for giving me and my family a new home and new experiences. I now know the real Saudi and have friends for life. I always felt your love and passion for the game. I will be following your journey ahead as a club and a country towards 2034.


“Your future will be incredible, special things are happening and I will always support you!”
Marcelo Teixeira, Santos’ president, said on social media channels: “It is the time (to come back), Neymar. It is time for you to come back to your people. To our home, to the club in our hearts.
“Welcome, our boy Ney! A boy of Vila (Belmiro, Santos’ stadium). Come back to be happy again with the white and black shirt. The Santos nation awaits you with open arms.”
The 32-year-old, who has scored 79 international goals for his home country, moved to Paris Saint-Germain from Barcelona for a world-record fee of €222 million in August 2017.
Al-Hilal announced Neymar’s departure on Tuesday on X, saying: “The club expresses its thanks and appreciation to Neymar for what he has provided throughout his career at Al-Hilal, and wish the player success in his career.”
Neymar arrived at the Saudi club in August 2023 after signing from PSG, but only played seven games due to injuries.
Italian sports journalist Fabrizio Romano wrote on X: “Teixeira confirms Neymar Jr’s return to the club. Six-month contract to be formally signed this week, as reported.”

Topics: Al-Hilal Neymar Saudi Pro League (SPL)

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