El mes pasado, cuando se le preguntó a la seleccionadora de las Lionesses, Sarina Wiegman, si le preocupaba que su situación contractual pudiera suponer una distracción para Inglaterra de cara a la Copa Mundial Femenina de 2027, su respuesta fue bastante optimista. «No hay ninguna distracción», respondió. «Todo el mundo está muy centrado en esta clasificación. No he oído a nadie de mi equipo ni de mi cuerpo técnico que se haya preocupado por eso».
La capitana de Inglaterra, Leah Williamson, está firmemente decidida a levantar la Copa del Mundo de 2027 para completar su colección de todos los trofeos importantes del fútbol femenino. La defensa del Arsenal cuenta con un palmarés increíble, pero hay un trofeo que aún no figura en su vitrina y ha expresado su deseo de llenar el vacío que deja el mayor premio del fútbol internacional.
La seleccionadora de las Lionesses, Sarina Wiegman, confía en que el tema de su futuro con el equipo no suponga una distracción ahora que Inglaterra comienza su andadura para clasificarse para la Copa Mundial Femenina de 2027. Wiegman, que ha supervisado dos triunfos consecutivos en la Eurocopa con las Lionesses, tiene contrato hasta el final del torneo del año que viene y afirma que «no hay novedades» sobre ninguna renovación, pero que no cree que sea una situación que preocupe a su equipo técnico ni a sus jugadoras en este momento.
Hubo escenas emocionales en Hampden Park después de que Escocia asegurara su clasificación para el Mundial del próximo año, y fue un momento especialmente conmovedor para Andy Robertson, quien se tomó un tiempo después del partido para rendir homenaje a su compañero de equipo en el Liverpool, Diogo Jota, quien perdió la vida en un trágico accidente automovilístico en España a principios de este año.
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.
How many teams are in the Saudi Pro League?
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.
Who has made the most Saudi Pro League appearances ever?
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.
Who is the all-time top scorer of the Saudi Pro 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.
Who has the most assists in the history of the Saudi Pro League?
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.
Who is the oldest player ever in the Saudi Pro League and how old was he?
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.
Who is the youngest player ever in the Saudi Pro League and how old was he?
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.
Which famous players have played in the Saudi Pro League?
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.
Which famous managers have managed in the Saudi Pro League?
Steven Gerrard, Laurent Blanc, and Stefano Pioli are some of Saudi Pro League's most prominent managers in history.
What is the biggest stadium in the Saudi Pro League?
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.
Who is the most expensive player in the history of the Saudi Pro League?
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.