Every week we will pick 22 of the Saudi Professional League’s best performing players and, with your help, narrow it down to the best XI.
Using polls on our @sport360_saudi Instagram Stories, we pit players in each position against each other and let you decide who deserves to make the cut.
Here’s what the latest SPL Team of the Week looks like:
GK: Marcelo Grohe (Al Ittihad)
The Brazil goalkeeper made four saves in Ittihad’s impressive 2-1 win at struggling Al Wehda. The vastly improved Tigers are now up to fourth and look set to avoid a third-successive fight against relegation.
RB: Mohammed Al Breik (Al Hilal)
An ever-present in the champions’ run of five-successive SPL wins and clean sheets. Dominated his flank at Al Raed.
CB: Raphael Silva (Al Faisaly)
The Brazilian centre-back’s goal was a scruffy one, scrambling in Al Ain goalkeeper Amin Al Bukhari’s inexplicable spill. But he excelled at defending in this 1-1 draw, making seven interceptions and 10 recoveries.
CB: Ali Al Bulaihi (Al Hilal)
All-action Saudi Arabia defender produced 84th minute header at Raed. This was his second goal of the SPL season, after last month getting the winner against promoted Al Ain.
LB: Yasser Al Shahrani (Al Hilal)
Rebounded from a VAR review cancelling his headed opener for a tug on Abdullah Al Fahad. His inviting centre was converted by Al Bulaihi 11 minutes later.
MF: Salman Al Faraj (Al Hilal)
Commanding performance from one of Asian football’s greatest midfielders. Recorded a 90-per-cent+ pass accuracy (93 per cent at Raed) for the third time in five 2020/21 SPL run-outs.
MF: Bruno Henrique (Al Ittihad)
A warrior was acquired from Palmeiras this summer. Henrique, alongside Saudi Arabia’s Abdulelah Al Malki, ensured Ittihad edged the midfield battle versus Wehda.
MF: Ever Banega (Al Shabab)
Al Shabab’s first defeat this term, a 2-1 reversal at promoted Al Qadsiyah, has tempered talk of an unlikely title challenge. Their Argentine inspiration was, though, largely blameless.
RW: Andre Carrillo (Al Hilal)
The Peru winger thought he’d teed up Al Shahrani for the first goal. This ‘assist’ would have headlined a typically dynamic display from which seven dribbles were successful from 10 attempts.
CF: Carlos Strandberg (Abha)
A surprise sits atop the SPL’s scoring charts. The former Sweden youth international’s composed brace earned a 3-1 triumph versus Al Fateh and moved him onto six goals in five appearances.
LW: Garry Rodrigues (Al Ittihad)
Rodrigues summed up the dysfunction at Ittihad since his January 2019 arrival. Yet the Cape Verde winger’s successful reintegration for 2020/21 also exemplifies what is going right for them now. Showed both spirit and skill to fire into the bottom corner against Wehda.
