JEDDAH – A sweaty Riyad Mahrez and Roberto Firmino share an embrace on the pitch while French winger Allan Saint-Maximin jogs over to join in the celebration.
This is not an English Premier League match in chilly conditions, though. It is 35 deg C on a hot, humid evening in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, and Al-Ahli have just scored the second goal in their 3-1 win over Al-Hazm on Friday to kick off the new Saudi Pro League season.
A new dawn for football in the Gulf kingdom is here and a sell-out crowd of 24,006 at the Prince Abdullah Al Faisal Stadium bear witness as the league takes its first bold steps towards becoming a force to be reckoned with in world football.
The moment between Mahrez and Firmino – who were both making their debuts with the latter netting a hat-trick – shows the surrealism that the Saudi Pro League finds itself in.
Just four months ago, the former Manchester City and Liverpool men were on opposing sides, in the heat of the battle in the most watched league in the world. On Friday in Jeddah, and for the rest of their time in the green of Al-Ahli, they will share a common goal of delivering the league title for their new employers.
What is noteworthy is that eight months ago, this fixture was played in the Saudi second tier. But both teams earned promotion to the top tier last season. In Al-Ahli’s case, they have secured even bigger gains after becoming one of four teams who were taken over by the country’s Public Investment Fund.
The money has also lured other global stars like Karim Benzema, Jordan Henderson and Sadio Mane, who are among those who have followed in Cristiano Ronaldo’s footsteps. The Portuguese forward joined Al-Nassr last season in a deal reported to be worth €200 million (S$297 million) per year.
Besides Firmino and Mahrez, others like former Newcastle winger Saint-Maximin, former AC Milan and Barcelona midfielder Franck Kessie and custodian Edouard Mendy, previously with Chelsea, have also signed for Al-Ahli.
Amid unprecedented attention on Saudi football, there have also been growing accusations of “sportswashing”. While it remains to be seen if this is all merely a public relations exercise or a genuine attempt to lift the football scene in the kingdom, the locals are already all in.
Tickets were snapped up five days before the match, and the glitz and glamour on the pitch where proceedings began with players walking out to pyrotechnics were matched by the fervent support in the stands – young and old, mostly men with some female fans dressed in black abaya and niqab.
The club’s ultras, the most passionate fan group set off red flares before kick-off, with thick smoke engulfing the arena.
The boisterous atmosphere could even be compared to those at hallowed grounds like Anfield or Old Trafford. But here, religion and culture is intertwined with football fandom.
The home supporters sang songs in Arabic and at half-time, most men exited to line up just below the stands to observe their prayers. After they were done, the mats were set aside and it was back to songs and chants inside.
Their seats were barely warmed as they hopped and jumped, sang at full volume and swirled their green-and-white scarves in the air.
Long-time Al-Ahli fan Nabil Jelaidan, 30, who also supports Manchester City, chose to forego the Citizens’ opening match of the EPL season to be at this game.
He said: “It is unbelievable the kind of players we are watching live today. Never could I or the fans here have imagined this.
“How can you not come to the ground and watch these players?”
Firmino, who captained his team, took just six minutes to justify that sentiment, opening his account by heading in a cross. Four minutes later, the Brazilian forward slotted in at the back post after a low cross from Mahrez to make it 2-0.
Al-Hazm halved the deficit with Vinicius Souza lobbing Mendy in the 50th minute, but Firmino sealed the three points by completing his hat-trick in the 72nd minute after his initial header was saved.
Off he ran again to celebrate. If it has not already sunk in, then it should, that the sight of a big-name footballer in jubilant exultation in Saudi Arabia is now nothing out of the ordinary.
