Latest news with #AlKholood
Al Etihad
5 days ago
- Business
- Al Etihad
First foreign firm takes ownership of Saudi football club
24 July 2025 21:18 RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA (AFP) A foreign company sealed the purchase of a Saudi football club - a first in the kingdom - the country's Sports Ministry said Thursday, as it announced the privatisation of three teams in the Saudi Pro League. The Harburg Group - led by American Ben Harburg - said it had "officially completed the 100 per cent acquisition of Al Kholood Club, of the Saudi Pro League, as part of the groundbreaking privatisation initiative of Saudi Vision 2030."Last season, Al Kholood finished ninth out of the 18 teams in the Saudi Pro Harburg Group currently owns a 6.5 per cent stake in Cadiz, a club in Spain's second a separate statement, the ministry said: "The first three Saudi sports clubs have been privatised through a public offering - Al Ansar, Al Kholood, and Al Zulfi - with their ownership transferred to investment entities."Saudi Arabia has shaken up football by spending heavily on stars from Europe, starting with Cristiano Ronaldo's move in late 2022, and the desert nation will host the FIFA World Cup in the past two years, Saudi football fans could watch the likes of Ronaldo and Karim Benzema on any given weekend during the Saudi Pro League season in the Saudi football project has drawn comparisons with the Chinese Super League, which imported players on exorbitant salaries until team owners went bust as the Chinese economy fizzled. Sports are a major component of the Vision 2030 reform agenda, which aims to diversify the economy of the world's top crude oil exporter.
Time of India
5 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Saudi Pro League: Foreign company buys stake in Al Kholood Club - a first in the kingdom
Players from Al Kholood, a football club in Saudi Pro League. (Image: X/SPL) Saudi Arabia announced the privatisation of three football clubs in the Saudi Pro League on Thursday, with American-led Harburg Group becoming the first foreign company to acquire a Saudi club through its 100% purchase of Al Kholood Club. This development is part of the country's Vision 2030 reform initiative aimed at diversifying the oil-dependent economy. "The Harburg Group has officially completed the 100 percent acquisition of Al Kholood Club, of the Saudi Pro League, as part of the groundbreaking privatisation initiative of Saudi Vision 2030," the group, led by Ben Harburg, stated. The sports ministry confirmed the broader privatisation effort in a separate announcement: "The first three Saudi sports clubs have been privatised through a public offering — Al Ansar, Al Kholood, and Al Zulfi — with their ownership transferred to investment entities." Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW! Al Kholood, which finished ninth in the 18-team Saudi Pro League last season, joins Harburg Group's portfolio alongside their 6.5 percent stake in Spanish second-division club Cadiz. Saudi Arabia has transformed its football landscape since late 2022, attracting high-profile players like Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema to compete in the Saudi Pro League. The kingdom's football ambitions extend beyond club ownership, as they prepare to host the 2034 FIFA World Cup. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like TV providers are furious: this gadget gives you access to all channels Techno Mag Learn More Undo The Saudi football initiative has drawn parallels with the Chinese Super League's previous strategy of importing players with substantial salaries, which eventually faltered due to economic challenges. Sports play a crucial role in Vision 2030, overseen by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman , as Saudi Arabia positions itself as a tourism and business destination before global oil demand declines. For real-time updates, scores, and highlights, follow our live coverage of the India vs England Test match here. Catch Rani Rampal's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 4. Watch Here!
The Star
28-04-2025
- Sport
- The Star
Soccer-Cancelo ruled out of Al-Hilal's Asian Champions League semi with Al-Ahli
Soccer Football - Saudi Pro League - Al Kholood v Al Hilal - King Abdullah Sport City Stadium, Buraidah, Saudi Arabia - September 28, 2024 Al Hillal's Joao Cancelo during the warm up before the match REUTERS/Stringer JEDDAH (Reuters) -Al-Hilal coach Jorge Jesus has ruled Joao Cancelo out of the remainder of his side's Asian Champions League Elite campaign with a hamstring injury ahead of their all-Saudi Pro League semi-final against Al-Ahli in Jeddah on Tuesday. The former Manchester City and Barcelona defender limped off 42 minutes into Al-Ahli's 7-0 thrashing of South Korea's Gwangju on Friday and Jesus confirmed the 30-year-old would play no further part in the continental championship. "The only negative part of an excellent night was the injury to Joao Cancelo," said Jesus. "He's one of the players who is very important for the team for his attacking ability. "We will not have him. He will be out for four to six weeks, that means his season is practically over but he will be well prepared for our participation in the Club World Cup." Al-Hilal remain on track for a record-extending fifth Asian title but face a difficult challenge against an Al-Ahli side that is the only undefeated team left in the competition. The clubs have already met three times this season in domestic competition, with Al-Ahli winning the most recent encounter in the Saudi Pro League thanks to a hat-trick by England striker Ivan Toney. That win was coach Matthias Jaissle's first against Al-Hilal in five attempts and the German is confident his side can repeat the feat. "It helps definitely to know, to feel that we are capable to win against Al-Hilal," said Jaissle. "We've played against Al-Hilal so often and they have huge quality in their squad, but we're well prepared. We know exactly what will come tomorrow, there will be no surprises on the pitch. Details will be decisive." The semi-final will be played at Al-Ahli's home at the King Abdullah Sports City Stadium and Jaissle is hoping the support of the local fans will be a factor in deciding the outcome. "The results in the matches since the competition started show clearly that this competition fits us," he said. "But we didn't achieve anything so far. "Everything has to fit together, all the details in all phases of the game. Then you need sometimes a bit of luck and the extra energy of the fans." (Reporting by Michael Church, Editing by Ros Russell)
Saudi Gazette
15-03-2025
- Sport
- Saudi Gazette
Al Nassr climbs to third with dominant win over Al Khaleej, Al Qadsiah slips after loss to Damac
Saudi Gazette report RIYADH — Al Nassr surged into third place in the Saudi Pro League with a 3-1 victory over Al Kholood on Friday, capitalizing on Al Qadsiah's defeat to Damac in Round 25 of the competition. Ronaldo, Mané, Durán on target in first-half blitz Cristiano Ronaldo, Sadio Mané, and Jhon Durán all found the net in a dominant first half for Al Nassr, securing a comfortable win despite being reduced to 10 men in the second half. Ronaldo, the league's top scorer with 19 goals, opened the scoring in the 4th minute, pouncing on a rebound after Durán's initial strike hit the right post, before bouncing off the left post and into his path. Moments later, Al Kholood thought they had equalized through Miziane Maolida, but VAR ruled it offside. Al Nassr doubled their lead in the 26th minute when Salem Al-Najdi delivered a pinpoint cross that Mané met with a sublime first-time finish into the net. Durán added a third just four minutes before halftime, collecting a pass from Angelo Gabriel and firing a low shot past the keeper. Al Nassr holds firm despite red card Al Nassr had to play the final half-hour with 10 men after Nawaf Boushal received a second yellow card. Head coach Stefano Pioli responded with a triple substitution in the 61st minute, bringing on Abdulmajeed Al-Sulaiheem, Ayman Yahya, and Majid Fashish for Ronaldo, Gabriel, and Ali Al-Hassan. Al Kholood pulled a goal back in the 72nd minute when Jackson Muleka's shot deflected off Ali Lajami and past goalkeeper Bento Matheus. Mané thought he had restored Al Nassr's three-goal lead three minutes later, but his strike was ruled out for a foul in the buildup. With the win, Al Nassr moved level on 51 points with Al Qadsiah but climbed to third on goal difference. Al Kholood remains 10th with 31 points. Damac stuns Al Qadsiah with stoppage-time penalty Al Qadsiah slipped to fourth place after a 1-0 defeat to Damac, with Habib Diallo scoring a last-gasp penalty in stoppage time. The result leaves Al Qadsiah on 51 points, trailing Al Nassr on goal difference, while Damac climbs to 12th with 27 points. Al Wehda cruises past Al Khaleej Elsewhere, Al Wehda secured a 2-0 win over Al Khaleej, with Juninho Bacuna scoring inside two minutes, followed by Youssef Amin's second-half goal in the 63rd minute. The win lifts Al Wehda to 20 points in 16th place, while Al Khaleej stays 11th with 30 points.
Al Arabiya
07-03-2025
- Sport
- Al Arabiya
William Troost-Ekong on facing Ronaldo and defying expectations with Al Kholood
Among the numerous quality Saudi Pro League arrivals last summer, there has arguably been none as influential for their team as Al Kholood center-back William Troost-Ekong. Signing for - in hindsight - a steal at €1.2m from Greek side PAOK, the Nigeria captain has brought a steeliness and professionalism to Kholood that has helped the club punch well above its weight in this season's Saudi Pro League. After losing coach Fabiano Flora and many of the players who helped him steer the club to a historic first promotion to the top flight, Al Kholood was a firm favorite to be relegated straight back to the Saudi First Division in 2024-25. Instead, inspired by the defensive solidity of Troost-Ekong, the creativity of winger Álex Collado, and the goals of Myziane Maolida, Kholood currently sits 11th in the table - 10 points clear of the dropzone. This over-achievement has been overseen by Algerian coach Noureddine Ben Zekri, a proven specialist in Saudi Pro League survival in recent years who replaced Paulo Duarte in October. 'The coach has given the players responsibility and that is why we are overachieving,' Troost-Ekong tells Al Arabiya English in an exclusive interview. 'He's had a good look at what our qualities are and has just made the puzzle as simple as possible for us to solve on the pitch.' 'You see that a player like Myziane is completely coming into his stride and he is one of the most lethal players in the league right now one-on- one. Then we have Alex Collado, who is a very good player, and Hamad Al-Hammadi is doing amazing things too.' 'I feel like everyone's kind of blossoming, playing this system that they enjoy.' Experiencing different countries and football culture has been a regular part of Troost-Ekong's career. Coming through the youth academies of Fulham and Tottenham Hotspur, the center-back went on to play in the Netherlands, Belgium, Norway, Turkey, Italy and Greece - as well as three years back in England with Watford, including a stint in the Premier League. But he admits that joining a newly promoted Saudi club has been an entirely different adventure, particularly in a smaller city like Ar Rass - in the Kingdom's Al-Qassim Province. 'It was very difficult to find anything about Al-Qassim on Google so I did a lot of figuring things out for myself as quickly as I could,' Troost-Ekong recalls. 'Obviously I didn't know what to expect and what I found was that everything was new for the club too.' 'I remember walking on my first day past the gym and it wasn't finished yet, and quite a few of the overseas players only came in right before the start of the season. But fortunately everything came together in time for the opening game.' 'It was quite hectic but I think the one thing that has always been my strength in football, and in life probably, is adapting - because I've played in so many different countries, under many different managers, in many different cultures. Change doesn't faze me and honestly the feeling was of excitement.' There has been plenty of cause for that excitement this season. Since the turn of the year, Kholood has beaten Al Ettifaq, Al Raed, Al Riyadh, Al Wehda and Al Khaleej, as well as taking a 2-0 lead against Al Ittihad in Jeddah before succumbing to a 4-3 defeat. The pièce de résistance, however, was a 1-0 win over ACL Elite-chasing Al Ahli in January. Troost-Ekong helped repel the substantial threat of Riyad Mahrez and Ivan Toney, the latter of whom has scored 16 Saudi Pro League goals this season. 'I think that it's always nice to measure yourself against guys who are among the best players in the world,' Troost-Ekong explains. 'Ivan was someone that I played against in the Championship with Watford before we both got promoted. Fast forward five years and yeah, he's a star striker for Al Ahli.' 'There was also Franck Kessie, who I played against in the [2024] Africa Cup of Nations final for Nigeria. These are the challenges that you do it for and this is of course part of the appeal of moving to Saudi Arabia.' Of all the players Troost-Ekong has faced so far, however, it is Al Ittihad captain Karim Benzema against whom he has most enjoyed pitting his wits. 'I never played in Spain so it has been great to go up against a striker with his pedigree. I think his understanding of the game and movement really became so clear when you're trying to play against him.' 'It's like a constant game of cat and mouse, trying to drag you around to open up the space and entering the box very late.' Next week, Troost-Ekong will add another illustrious name to that list of opponents as he aims to shackle Cristiano Ronaldo, who was missing when Al Kholood claimed a surprise 3-3 draw at home to Al Nassr in October. Troost-Ekong has played against both Lionel Messi - at the 2018 FIFA World Cup with Nigeria - and Ronaldo in his career, with the Portuguese superstar an opponent during his time at Juventus and Manchester United. 'I have so much respect for him, though we did beat Manchester United 4-1 with Watford when he was in the team,' the Nigerian defender laughs. 'I'm sure that he's not keeping a tally against me, but I definitely am.' 'It'll be really exciting to play against him and I'm also looking forward to seeing [Al Nassr's record signing] Jhon Duran, too. It's natural that these games and opponents are the ones that I'm excited about the most.' 'The benefit for us at Al Kholood is we go into these matches with no expectations, which means we can express ourselves. That mindset has enabled us to get some of the great results we've seen - like the draw with Al Nassr and the win against Al Ahli.' Despite there being a 10-point gap between Al Kholood and the relegation zone, Troost-Ekong insists he and his teammates are taking nothing for granted as they aim to extend their stay in the Saudi Pro League by another season. 'I always like to look at how many points teams have historically needed to stay in the league and I think that figure is around 34 points,' he says. 'That means we cannot relax yet and we know we are not there yet; we are still very much in competition with those teams below us. Things can change so quickly - we've seen that in recent weeks.'
