Saudi Arabia's football revolution has already made headlines around the world with the arrival of some of the sport’s biggest stars.
Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar and Karim Benzema have all brought international attention to the Saudi Pro League. Yet beyond the marquee signings, a new story is emerging that points to the long-term future of football in the Kingdom. That story is NEOM SC.
NEOM are positioning themselves as a different kind of Saudi club. Rather than simply chasing short-term impact, the project is being built along European lines, with a clear focus on structure, sustainability and development. The squad blends leadership with youthful promise.
Premier League followers will instantly recognise Alexandre Lacazette, who spent five years at Arsenal, Abdoulaye Doucoure, a key midfielder at Everton, and winger Said Benrahma, who lit up both Brentford and West Ham. Their experience offers a foundation for the next generation, which includes Malick Kone, Luciano Rodriguez, Nathan Zeze and Saimon Bouabre.
The inclusion of Zeze and Bouabre is particularly significant. They remain the only under-21 internationals from a top-five European nation currently playing in the Saudi Pro League, underlining NEOM's ability to attract not only proven professionals but also elite prospects with global potential.
For Saudi football, this is a breakthrough that reflects a new stage of ambition. Behind the scenes, the club is adopting methods rarely seen in the region before now. Recruitment is shaped by data analysis, age-curve scouting and long-term planning, the same strategies that have helped clubs like Brighton and Benfica succeed on the global stage.
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A dedicated set-piece coach and loans manager have also been added to the staff, positions that are common in Europe but groundbreaking in Saudi Arabia. Leadership has been equally ambitious. Christophe Galtier, who guided Lille to a Ligue 1 title and managed Paris Saint-Germain, brings world-class experience to the dugout.
Rodrigo Magalhaes, the new academy director, spent over a decade at Benfica's famous academy, helping to develop players such as Joao Felix, Ruben Dias and Bernardo Silva. His expertise in creating pathways from academy to first team is precisely the type of knowledge that can help Saudi football nurture its own stars in the years to come.
The project gained further momentum earlier this year when Saad Al-Lazeez, formerly vice-chair of the Saudi Pro League, took up a new role with NEOM. One of the key figures behind the league's rapid international growth, his decision to join the club reflects the importance of NEOM as a flagship for the Kingdom's wider sporting vision. His presence connects the project directly to the strategic ambitions of Saudi football as a whole.
NEOM SC represent more than just another addition to the Saudi Pro League. They symbolise a shift in how the game is being developed in the country, moving beyond the pursuit of big names to embrace the structures that underpin Europe's most successful clubs.
If their approach continues on its current path, NEOM could become one of the most innovative and sustainable teams in the region, setting new benchmarks for Saudi football and showcasing the Kingdom's determination to compete at the very highest level of the global game.