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The Saudi Pro League has quickly become one of the most high-profile top-flight football competitions on the planet. Cristiano Ronaldo was the first superstar to opt for a switch to the Saudi League. The five-time Ballon d'Or winner moved to Al-Nassr in January 2023 after terminating his contract with Manchester United.
His move inspired a barrage of superstars to move to the Middle East this summer. Plenty of high-profile players were enticed by the lucrative wage packages offered by top Saudi clubs. The comparatively less competitive environment also tempted footballers looking to wind down their careers.
As a result, the league has become more competitive over the last year. Without further ado, let's take a look at the five best players in the Saudi Pro League so far this season (2023-24).
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#5 Franck Kessie (Al-Ahli)
Franck Kessie is another footballer who could have perhaps had a fruitful career in Europe. But he decided to leave it behind and embrace the riches offered by the Saudi Pro League instead. Kessie was playing for Barcelona last season but was struggling for minutes.
The 26-year-old has now become the main man in midfield for Al-Ahli. The Ivory Coast international is a dominant physical presence and he is also quite formidable with the ball at his feet.
Kessie has certainly improved Al-Ahli's midfield and has also scored five goals and provided two assists in 16 league appearances.
#4 Ruben Neves (Al-Hilal)
Ruben Neves is yet another player whose move to Saudi Arabia came as a shocker to fans. Neves had been hustling for Wolverhampton Wanderers for a while and had done well enough to garner interest from the likes of Barcelona and Manchester United.
However, Neves decided that a move to Saudi Pro League was his best option. He is just 26 years old and the Portuguese midfielder has been a great addition to Al-Hilal's midfield. His exploits in midfield have helped propel Al-Hilal to the top of the Saudi Pro League table.
He is one of their most consistent players this season and has provided three assists in 15 appearances so far this term.
#3 Marcelo Brozovic (Al-Nassr)
Securing the services of Marcelo Brozovic from Inter Milan this summer for just €18 million was an absolute coup. Al-Nassr have benefitted greatly from this piece of business to no one's surprise. After all, Brozovic is undoubtedly one of the finest defensive midfielders of his generation.
The Croatia international has thrived at the base of Al-Nassr's midfield and has been a tireless presence in the centre of the park for them. He has bossed the midfield realms and has already endeared himself to the fans of the club.
#2 Aleksandar Mitrovic (Al-Hilal)
Aleksandar Mitrovic's decision to move to Al-Hilal from the high-octane environment of the Premier League came as a surprise. The 29-year-old seemed to be in his prime and had just had his best campaign at an individual level in the English top flight with Fulham.
He scored 15 goals and provided four assists in 28 appearances across all competitions for the Cottagers in the 2022-23 season. As such, his exploits in the Saudi Pro League for Al-Hilal have been as impressive as expected. Mitrovic is one of the most prolific strikers in the competition this term.
He has netted 14 times in 14 league appearances so far this season in addition to racking up three assists.
#1 Cristiano Ronaldo (Al-Nassr)
Cristiano Ronaldo remains an anomaly among the elite despite being close to his 40s. It's important to note that Ronaldo is currently the best-performing footballer in a league where several high-profile players, who are now in their primes, are plying their trade.
Ronaldo is the leading goalscorer in the Saudi Pro League right now with 16 goals and a whopping eight assists in 15 appearances so far this season. He has been clinical in front of goal and sharp with his movement and decision-making inside the final third.
