+19 | Please play responsibly | T&C's Apply | Commercial Content  | Publishing Principles

UEFA Nations League A

UEFA Nations League A news

Advertisement
Brazil v Spain: Women's Football - Olympic Games Paris 2024: Day 5

Hermoso's Spain career over as new coach wants to 'start from scratch'

On Tuesday, the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) officially presented Sonia Bermudez as the new head coach of the Spanish women's national team, who will be succeeding Montse Tome in the role. Bermudez, one of the best players in Spain during her time, addressed the future of veteran striker Jenni Hermoso, who was left out of the Euro 2025 squad.

Lena Oberdorf Germany 2023

Bayern star Oberdorf suffers second ACL tear in 15 months

Bayern Munich and Germany have been dealt a huge blow with the news that Lena Oberdorf has torn the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in her right knee for the second time in little more than a year. The 23-year-old only returned from the first of those setbacks this past summer but is now facing another lengthy spell on the sidelines and another arduous recovery, having described the previous one as "hell".

Jenni Hermoso Spain

Hermoso & Leon return to Spain squad following exiles

Jenni Hermoso has been recalled to the Spain squad by new head coach Sonia Bermudez. The legendary forward, who is her country's all-time leading goalscorer, was caught up in the Luis Rubiales scandal which accompanied La Roja's World Cup triumph in 2023. She is now stepping back into the fold alongside former Barcelona team-mate Mapi Leon, who sees a three-year exile from the international arena brought to a close.

Frequently asked questions

Al-Hilal are the most successful Saudi Pro League side ever, having won an astonishing 19 league titles. Their first-ever league title came at the end of the 1976-77 campaign. Currently, they are also the defending champions, having gone all the way in the 2023-24 season.

Currently, there are 18 teams in the Saudi Pro League. In the first season ever, which took place in 1976-77, there were just eight teams. The number increased to 10 in the following season. Ahead of the 1981-82, Saudi Premier League and Saudi First Division merged to form one single league for the 1982 FIFA World Cup qualification process. However, from the 1984-85 season, the number teams reverted to 12.

Legendary Saudi Arabian goalkeeper Mohamed Al-Deayea holds the record for most appearances in the Saudi Pro League. Al-Deayea played for Al-Taee and Al-Hilal and managed 406 appearances inthe league.

Majed Abdullah, also known as the Arabian Pele, is the league's all-time leading topscorer with 189 goals in 194 league games, all of them coming with Al-Nassr in a 21-year span. He is Al-Nassr's record goalscorer, with 259 goals in just 266 games.

Former Syrian midfielder Jehad Al-Hussain has registered the most assists in Saudi Pro League history, setting up 50 goals for his teammates in 208 games.

Former Egyptian goalkeeper Essam El Hadary is the oldest player to ever feature in Saudi Pro League. El Hadary was 45 years and 81 days old when he featured for Al-Taawoun in April 2018.

Teenage sensation Talal Haji, who plays for Al-Ittihad, is the youngest player to ever play in Saudi Pro League. Haji achieved this feat at the age of 16 years and five days when he came on as a substitute for Romarinho in Al-Ittihad's 2-1 win over Al-Fateh in September 2023.

Cristiano Ronaldo, Riyad Mahrez, Karim Benzema, Roberto Firmino, N'Golo Kante, Sadio Mane, Yassine Bounou, Nacho, Aymeric Laporte, and Fabinho are among the most famous players to have played in the Saudi Pro League.

Steven Gerrard, Laurent Blanc, and Stefano Pioli are some of Saudi Pro League's most prominent managers in history.

The King Fahd International Stadium in Riyadh, which is home to Al-Shabab and Al-Riyadh, is the biggest stadium in Saudi Pro League. It has a capacity of 68,752.

Neymar is the most expensive player in Saudi Pro League history, costing a whopping £77.6 million when Al-Hilal bought him from Paris Saint-Germain in 2023.