Saudi Pro League tries to move on from era of ageing megastar but big names still loom

Summary

The new Saudi Pro League season kicks off on Thursday without Mohamed Salah, marking a potential shift away from the era of ageing megastars. Despite this changing landscape, the upcoming months are still likely to be dominated by Cristiano Ronaldo. The 41-year-old Al-Nassr player is approaching a historic milestone, sitting just 24 goals away from 1,000 career goals. Having already scored 102 goals in 107 league games for his club, he is well positioned to reach this target during the current season. However, it remains unclear how this impending achievement fits into the broader plans of the league. This upcoming campaign marks the fourth season since heavy spending began with a massive financial outlay in the summer of 2023. That initial spending spree successfully generated widespread media coverage, numerous international broadcasting deals, and global sales of yellow CR7 Al-Nassr shirts. Moving forward, the league's primary focus has shifted toward securing better value for money. Organizers are now aiming to elevate the overall standard of Saudi Arabian football rather than just developing individual clubs.