Saudi Pro League facts for kids
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| Organising body | Saudi Arabian Football Federation (SAFF) |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1957
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| Country | Saudi Arabia |
| Confederation | AFC |
| Number of teams | 18 (since 2023–24) |
| Level on pyramid | 1 |
| Relegation to | Saudi First Division League |
| Domestic cup(s) | King's Cup Saudi Super Cup |
| International cup(s) | AFC Champions League Elite AFC Champions League Two Gulf Club Champions League Arab Club Champions Cup |
| Current champions | Al-Nassr (11th title) (2025–26) |
| Most championships | Al-Hilal (21 titles) |
| Most appearances | Mohamed Al-Deayea (406) |
| Top goalscorer | Majed Abdullah (189) |
| TV partners | Thmanyah |
The Saudi Pro League (SPL), also known as the Roshn Saudi League, is the top professional football league in Saudi Arabia. It's like the highest level of football competition in the country. Many people consider the SPL to be the best football league in Asia.
The club with the most wins in the Saudi Pro League is Al-Hilal, which has won an amazing 21 titles! Their most recent victory was in the 2023–24 season. Other famous clubs like Al-Ahli, Al-Shabab, Al-Ittihad, and Al-Nassr have also won many championships.
Since 2023, the Saudi Pro League has become much more famous around the world. This happened because of big plans under something called Saudi Vision 2030. A special fund in Saudi Arabia bought a large part of four main clubs: Al-Ahli, Al-Ittihad, Al-Hilal, and Al-Nassr. They invested a lot of money to bring famous players like Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar, and Karim Benzema to play in the league. These efforts have made the SPL a big name in global football.
Each year, three teams from Saudi Arabia get to play in the AFC Champions League Elite. This is Asia's top club competition, similar to the UEFA Champions League in Europe. The winner of the King's Cup also gets to play in the AFC Champions League Two, which is the second-highest continental competition.
Contents
- History of the Saudi Pro League
- Sponsorships of the League
- Official Match Balls
- How the Competition Works
- Current Clubs and Their Stadiums
- League Champions Over the Years
- Team Success in the League
- Saudi Clubs in Asian Football Competitions
- League Participation Over Time
- Top Scorers in League History
- Saudi Pro League Awards
- League Records
- Images for kids
- See also
History of the Saudi Pro League
How the League Started (1957–2022)
The Saudi top football league began way back in 1957. It was first called the His Majesty's League and ran until 1974. After that, there was a short season in 1974–75 called the Saudi Categorization League. The first official season of the Saudi Premier League then kicked off in 1976–77.
From its start until the 1989–90 season, teams played each other twice in a simple round-robin style. Then, the Saudi Arabian Football Federation combined the league with the King's Cup. They introduced a "Golden Box" format. This meant the top four teams at the end of the regular season played in a knockout tournament to decide the champion.
The league went back to the round-robin format in the 2007–08 season. It was renamed the Saudi Pro League in 2008. Even though it's a continuation of earlier leagues, its records are kept separately. This is similar to how the English Premier League is seen as different from the older Football League First Division.
Over the years, the Saudi Pro League changed its name several times due to different companies sponsoring it. It was even officially named after Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for a while. This showed his support for sports in Saudi Arabia.
In 2019, the Saudi government started a plan to support sports clubs. They gave over 1.6 billion Saudi Riyals (about 127 million US dollars) to help clubs improve their management, stadiums, and how they connect with fans.
In 2022, a Saudi real estate company called Roshn became the main sponsor. They signed a 5-year deal, and the league was officially renamed the Roshn Saudi League starting from the 2022–23 season.
Big Changes in Saudi Football (2023–Present)
In June 2023, a special fund called the Public Investment Fund bought 75% of four major clubs: Al-Nassr, Al-Hilal, Al-Ittihad, and Al-Ahli. This was part of the Saudi Vision 2030 plan. The goal was to help clubs pay off debts, become more valuable, and get ready to be owned by private companies. The long-term plan is to sell these clubs to investors from Saudi Arabia and other countries.
The Saudi Pro League saw huge changes starting in 2023. This began when superstar player Cristiano Ronaldo joined Al-Nassr. His move helped attract other global stars like Neymar, Karim Benzema, Sadio Mané, and N'Golo Kanté. During one transfer period, clubs spent almost $1 billion to bring 94 players from top European leagues to Saudi Arabia.
These big changes have attracted a lot of attention worldwide. While some people have different opinions about these investments, many in Saudi Arabia believe these efforts are important for growing football and helping the country's economy in new ways.
Sponsorships of the League
The Saudi Pro League has had different sponsors over the years, which sometimes changed its name.
| Period | Sponsor | Brand |
|---|---|---|
| 1957–1974 | No sponsor | His Majesty's League |
| 1974–1975 | No sponsor | Saudi Categorization League |
| 1975–2007 | No sponsor | Saudi Premier League |
| 2008–2008 | No sponsor | Saudi Pro League |
| 2009–2013 | Zain | Zain Pro League |
| 2014–2017 | Abdul Latif Jameel | Abdul Latif Jameel Pro League |
| 2018–2021 | No sponsor | Saudi Pro League |
| 2022–present | Roshn | Roshn Saudi League |
Official Match Balls
Here are the companies that have supplied the official match balls for the league:
| Season(s) | Supplier | Ball Model / Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 2023–24 (Jan) | Nike | Nike match balls were used in all prior seasons until Adidas took over in February 2024. |
| 2023–24 (from Feb) | Adidas | Oceaunz – introduced mid-season after Adidas partnered with the league. |
| 2024– | Adidas | Custom design inspired by wild lavender fields and Saudi tapestries. |
How the Competition Works
Playing the Games
There are 18 clubs in the Saudi Pro League. A season usually runs from August to May. Each club plays every other club twice. This means they play one game at their home stadium and one game at their opponent's stadium. In total, each team plays 34 games.
Teams get three points for winning a game, one point for a draw (a tie), and no points for losing. Teams are ranked in the league table first by how many points they have. If teams have the same points, their head-to-head record (how they played against each other) is used. After that, goal difference (how many goals they scored minus how many they let in) helps decide their rank.
Each club can have up to 25 players. Up to 10 of these players can be from other countries. Out of these 10 foreign players, 8 can be any age, and 2 must be under 20 years old when they sign. The other 15 players must be Saudi nationals. Up to 5 of these Saudi players can come from the club's youth teams. For each game, coaches can choose up to 8 foreign players to be on the team for that match.
Moving Up and Down the League
The Saudi Pro League has a system where teams can move between leagues. This is called promotion and relegation. The three teams that finish at the bottom of the Saudi Pro League are relegated. This means they move down to the Saudi First Division League.
In the First Division, the top two teams are promoted directly to the Pro League. A special play-off system decides the third team that gets promoted. Teams that finish between third and sixth place in the First Division play in these promotion play-offs. For example, the fifth-placed team plays the fourth, and the sixth-placed team plays the third. The final game is a single match, hosted by the team that finished higher in the league.
Current Clubs and Their Stadiums
Here are the teams currently playing in the Saudi Pro League and where they play their home games:
| Team | Location | Stadium | Capacity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Al-Ahli | Jeddah | King Abdullah Sports City Stadium Al-Faisal Stadium |
60,342 27,000 |
| Al-Ettifaq | Dammam | EGO STADIUM | 12,984 |
| Al-Fateh | Al-Mubarraz | Maydan Tamweel Aloula | 11,851 |
| Al-Fayha | Majmaah | Majmaah Sports City Stadium | 6,843 |
| Al-Hazem | Ar Rass | Al-Hazem Club Stadium | 5,100 |
| Al-Hilal | Riyadh | Kingdom Arena | 26,090 |
| Al-Ittihad | Jeddah | King Abdullah Sports City Stadium Al-Faisal Stadium |
60,342 27,000 |
| Al-Khaleej | Saihat | Prince Mohamed bin Fahd Stadium (Dammam) | 22,042 |
| Al-Kholood | Ar Rass | Al-Hazem Club Stadium | 5,100 |
| Al-Najma | Unaizah | King Abdullah Sports City Stadium Buraidah | 30,180 |
| Al-Nassr | Riyadh | Al-Awwal Park | 26,004 |
| Al-Okhdood | Najran | Prince Hathloul bin Abdulaziz Sports City Stadium | 12,000 |
| Al-Qadsiah | Khobar | Prince Mohamed bin Fahd Stadium (Dammam) | 22,042 |
| Al-Riyadh | Riyadh | SHG Arena | 18,063 |
| Al-Shabab | Riyadh | SHG Arena | 13,537 |
| Al-Taawoun | Buraidah | King Abdullah Sports City Stadium Buraidah Al-Taawoun Stadium |
30,180 5,624 |
| Damac | Khamis Mushait | Damac Club Stadium Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz Sports City Stadium (Abha) |
3,800 25,000 |
| Neom | Tabuk | King Khalid Sport City Stadium | 12,000 |
League Champions Over the Years
List of Champions
Here's a list of all the teams that have won the top Saudi football league:
| Season | Champion | Runners-up |
|---|---|---|
| His Majesty's League 1957–1974 |
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| 1957–58 | Al-Wehda | Al-Ittihad |
| 1958–59 | Al-Ittihad | Al-Wehda |
| 1959–60 | Al-Ittihad | Al-Wehda |
| 1960–61 | Al-Ittihad | Al-Wehda |
| 1961–62 | Al-Hilal | Al-Wehda |
| 1962–63 | Al-Ahli | Al-Riyadh |
| 1963–64 | Al-Ittihad | Al-Hilal |
| 1964–65 | Al-Hilal | Al-Ittihad |
| 1965–66 | Al-Ahli | Al-Ettifaq |
| 1966–67 | Not completed | |
| 1967–68 | Not held | |
| 1968–69 | Al-Ahli | Al-Ettifaq |
| 1969–70 | Cancelled | |
| 1970–71 | Al-Ahli | Al-Wehda |
| 1971–72 | Al-Ahli | Al-Nassr |
| 1972–73 | Al-Ahli | Al-Nassr |
| 1973–74 | Al-Nassr | Al-Ahli |
| Saudi Categorization League 1974–1975 |
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| 1974–75 | Al-Nassr | Al-Hilal |
| Saudi Premier League 1975–2007 |
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| 1975–76 | Cancelled | |
| 1976–77 | Al-Hilal | Al-Nassr |
| 1977–78 | Al-Ahli | Al-Nassr |
| 1978–79 | Al-Hilal | Al-Nassr |
| 1979–80 | Al-Nassr | Al-Hilal |
| 1980–81 | Al-Nassr | Al-Hilal |
| 1981–82 | Al-Ittihad | Al-Shabab |
| 1982–83 | Al-Ettifaq | Al-Hilal |
| 1983–84 | Al-Ahli | Al-Ittihad |
| 1984–85 | Al-Hilal | Al-Shabab |
| 1985–86 | Al-Hilal | Al-Ittihad |
| 1986–87 | Al-Ettifaq | Al-Hilal |
| 1987–88 | Al-Hilal | Al-Ettifaq |
| 1988–89 | Al-Nassr | Al-Shabab |
| 1989–90 | Al-Hilal | Al-Ahli |
| 1990–91 | Al-Shabab | Al-Nassr |
| 1991–92 | Al-Shabab | Al-Ettifaq |
| 1992–93 | Al-Shabab | Al-Hilal |
| 1993–94 | Al-Nassr | Al-Riyadh |
| 1994–95 | Al-Nassr | Al-Hilal |
| 1995–96 | Al-Hilal | Al-Ahli |
| 1996–97 | Al-Ittihad | Al-Hilal |
| 1997–98 | Al-Hilal | Al-Shabab |
| 1998–99 | Al-Ittihad | Al-Ahli |
| 1999–2000 | Al-Ittihad | Al-Ahli |
| 2000–01 | Al-Ittihad | Al-Nassr |
| 2001–02 | Al-Hilal | Al-Ittihad |
| 2002–03 | Al-Ittihad | Al-Ahli |
| 2003–04 | Al-Shabab | Al-Ittihad |
| 2004–05 | Al-Hilal | Al-Shabab |
| 2005–06 | Al-Shabab | Al-Hilal |
| 2006–07 | Al-Ittihad | Al-Hilal |
| Saudi Pro League 2008–present |
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| 2007–08 | Al-Hilal | Al-Ittihad |
| 2008–09 | Al-Ittihad | Al-Hilal |
| 2009–10 | Al-Hilal | Al-Ittihad |
| 2010–11 | Al-Hilal | Al-Ittihad |
| 2011–12 | Al-Shabab | Al-Ahli |
| 2012–13 | Al-Fateh | Al-Hilal |
| 2013–14 | Al-Nassr | Al-Hilal |
| 2014–15 | Al-Nassr | Al-Ahli |
| 2015–16 | Al-Ahli | Al-Hilal |
| 2016–17 | Al-Hilal | Al-Ahli |
| 2017–18 | Al-Hilal | Al-Ahli |
| 2018–19 | Al-Nassr | Al-Hilal |
| 2019–20 | Al-Hilal | Al-Nassr |
| 2020–21 | Al-Hilal | Al-Shabab |
| 2021–22 | Al-Hilal | Al-Ittihad |
| 2022–23 | Al-Ittihad | Al-Nassr |
| 2023–24 | Al-Hilal | Al-Nassr |
| 2024–25 | Al-Ittihad | Al-Hilal |
| 2025–26 | Al-Nassr | Al-Hilal |
Team Success in the League
Total League Titles Won (All Eras)
This table shows which clubs have won the most titles throughout the league's history:
| # | Club | Winners | Runners-up |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Al-Hilal |
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| 2 | Al-Ittihad |
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| 3 | Al-Nassr |
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| 4 | Al-Ahli |
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| 5 | Al-Shabab |
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| 6 | Al-Ettifaq |
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| 7 | Al-Wehda |
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| 8 | Al-Fateh |
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| 9 | Al-Riyadh |
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Total Titles Won by City
Here's how many titles each city's clubs have won:
| Province | City | Number of titles | Clubs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Riyadh Province | Riyadh |
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Al-Hilal (21), Al-Nassr (11), Al-Shabab (6) |
| Mecca Province | Jeddah |
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Al-Ittihad (14), Al-Ahli (9) |
| Eastern Province | Dammam |
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Al-Ettifaq (2) |
| Eastern Province | Al-Mubarraz |
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Al-Fateh (1) |
| Mecca Province | Mecca |
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Al-Wehda (1) |
Performance by League Era
The league has had different names over time. Here's how many titles were won in each era:
| League | Number of titles |
|---|---|
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Al-Hilal (8), Al-Nassr (4), Al-Ittihad (3), Al-Fateh (1), Al-Ahli (1), Al-Shabab (1) |
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Al-Hilal (11), Al-Ittihad (7), Al-Nassr (5), Al-Shabab (5), Al-Ettifaq (2), Al-Ahli (2) |
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Al-Nassr (1) |
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Al-Ahli (6), Al-Ittihad (4), Al-Hilal (2), Al-Wehda (1), Al-Nassr (1) |
Saudi Clubs in Asian Football Competitions
Saudi Arabian clubs have a great history in Asian football. They have won a total of 15 titles in continental competitions. This makes Saudi Arabia the most successful country in Asian club football!
| Club | AFC Champions League Elite | Asian Cup Winners' Cup | Asian Super Cup | Clubs Titles |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Al-Hilal | 4 (1991, 2000, 2019, 2021) | 2 (1997, 2002) | 2 (1997, 2000) |
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| Al-Ittihad | 2 (2004, 2005) | 1 (1999) | – |
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| Al-Ahli | — | — | — |
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| Al-Nassr | — | 1 (1998) | 1 (1998) |
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| Al-Shabab | — | 1 (2001) | — |
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| Al-Qadsiah | — | 1 (1994) | — |
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6 | 6 | 3 |
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League Participation Over Time
As of the 2025–26 season, 40 clubs have played in the Saudi top division league. Only three clubs – Al-Nassr, Al-Hilal and Al-Ittihad – have never been relegated to a lower league.
- Bold means the club is currently playing in the Saudi Pro League.
- This count includes seasons from when the Saudi Premier League started until today.
| Seasons | Clubs |
|---|---|
| 49 | Al-Hilal, Al-Nassr, Al-Ittihad |
| 48 | Al-Shabab, Al-Ahli |
| 46 | Al-Ettifaq |
| 40 | Al-Wehda |
| 37 | Al-Qadsiah |
| 25 | Al-Raed, Al-Riyadh, Al-Tai |
| 18 | Al-Taawoun |
| 16 | Al-Nahda, Al-Fateh |
| 13 | Al-Faisaly |
| 11 | Al-Najma, Ohod |
| 10 | Al-Hazem |
| 9 | Al-Ansar, Najran, Al-Khaleej |
| 7 | Abha, Al-Shoulla, Damac, Al-Fayha |
| 6 | Hajer, Al-Batin |
| 4 | Al-Rawdah |
| 3 | Al-Kawkab, Al-Jabalain, Al-Orobah, Al-Okhdood |
| 2 | Al-Adalah, Sdoos, Al-Watani, Al-Kholood |
| 1 | Al-Arabi, Al-Ain, Okaz, Neom |
Top Scorers in League History
All-Time Top Scorers
These are the players who have scored the most goals in the Saudi Pro League since it began.
- Bold means the player is still active in the Pro League.
- This count includes seasons from the Saudi Categorization League until today.
| Rank | Player | Goals | Apps | Ratio | First | Last | Club(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Majed Abdullah |
189 | 194 | 0.97 | 1977 | 1997 | Al-Nassr |
| 2 | Nasser Al-Shamrani |
167 | 301 | 0.55 | 2003 | 2019 | Al-Wehda, Al-Shabab, Al-Hilal, Al-Ittihad |
| 3 |  Omar Al Somah |
161 | 222 | 0.73 | 2014 | 2026 | Al-Ahli, Al-Orobah, Al-Hazem |
| 4 |  Abderrazak Hamdallah |
157 | 179 | 0.88 | 2018 | 2026 | Al-Nassr, Al-Ittihad, Al-Shabab |
| 5 | Fahd Al-Hamdan |
120 | 252 | 0.48 | 1984 | 2000 | Al-Riyadh |
| 6 | Yasser Al-Qahtani |
112 | 206 | 0.54 | 2000 | 2018 | Al-Qadsiah, Al-Hilal |
| 7 | Mohammad Al-Sahlawi |
111 | 257 | 0.43 | 2005 | 2022 | Al-Qadsiah, Al-Nassr, Al-Shabab, Al-Taawoun |
| 8 |  Cristiano Ronaldo |
102 | 107 | 0.95 | 2023 | 2026 | Al-Nassr |
| 9 | Sami Al-Jaber |
101 | 268 | 0.38 | 1988 | 2007 | Al-Hilal |
| 10 | Hamzah Idris |
96 | – | – | 1992 | 2007 | Ohod, Al-Ittihad |
Top Scorers by Season
The player who scored the most goals in a single season is Cristiano Ronaldo, who scored 35 goals for Al-Nassr in the 2023–24 season. The most recent top scorer for the 2025–26 season was Julián Quiñones from Al Qadsiah FC, with 33 goals.
Saudi Pro League Awards
The Saudi Pro League gives out awards every year to celebrate the best players and coaches. These awards started in the 2018–19 season. After a break, they fully returned for the 2024–25 season.
| Season | Manager of the Season | Player of the Season | Saudi Player of the Season | Young Player of the Season | Golden Glove | Golden Boot | Goal of the Season | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018–19 | Pedro Emanuel |
Abderrazak Hamdallah |
Mohamed Kanno |
Muteb Al-Mufarrij |
 Farouk Ben Mustapha |
Abderrazak Hamdallah |
Award not established | |
| 2023–24 | Jorge Jesus |
Not awarded | Not awarded | Not awarded | Yassine Bounou |
Cristiano Ronaldo |
Award not established | |
| 2024–25 |  Laurent Blanc |
Karim Benzema |
Salem Al-Dawsari |
Musab Al-Juwayr |
 Koen Casteels |
Cristiano Ronaldo |
Cristiano Ronaldo |
League Records
Here are some interesting records from the history of the Saudi Pro League:
- Bold means the player is still active in the Pro League.
| Record | Player | Statistic |
|---|---|---|
| All-time most appearances | Mohamed Al-Deayea |
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| All-time top goalscorer | Majed Abdullah |
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| Most top goalscorer awards | Majed Abdullah |
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| Most appearances in Pro League history | Yahya Al-Shehri |
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| Pro League all-time top goalscorer | Omar Al-Somah |
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| Most Pro League golden boots | Nasser Al-Shamrani |
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| Most goals in a single season | Cristiano Ronaldo |
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| Most assists in Pro League history | Salem Al-Dawsari |
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| Most clean sheets in a single season |  Marcelo Grohe |
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| Most goals in consecutive matches | Abderrazak Hamdallah |
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| Most hat-tricks in Pro League history | Abderrazak Hamdallah |
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Images for kids
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Cristiano Ronaldo with Al-Nassr in 2023
See also
In Spanish: Liga Profesional Saudí para niños
- Saudi Arabian Football Federation
- Football in Saudi Arabia
- List of football clubs in Saudi Arabia
- List of football stadiums in Saudi Arabia
- Saudi Super Cup
- King's Cup
- Crown Prince Cup
- Prince Faisal bin Fahd Cup
- Saudi Founder's Cup
- List of Saudi Pro League hat-tricks
- Saudi Women's Premier League
- Sport in Saudi Arabia
- Saudi Arabia Ministry of Sport
