Introduction: Dori Roshan continues to dazzle the world
The curtain has fallen on one of the most exciting seasons in the history of Saudi football, with the Saudi Professional League announcing the winners of the Roshan League awards for the 2025-2026 season. This event comes amidst growing global interest in the league, which has become a destination for the biggest stars of the beautiful game, in line with the significant sporting development taking place in the Kingdom. This season witnessed fierce competition until the final rounds, reflecting the rising technical and marketing value of the league at both the regional and international levels, and proving the success of the strategy of attracting international stars while simultaneously developing local talent.
Joao Felix: Victory icon and best player of the season
In a remarkable achievement reflecting his immense talent, Portuguese star João Félix, playing for Al-Nassr, was crowned the best player in the Roshan Professional League. This accolade was no accident, but rather the culmination of an exceptional season in which he led his team to the league title. Félix outperformed renowned international names such as England's Ivan Toni, Mexico's Julián Quiñones, his compatriots Rúben Neves, and the legendary Cristiano Ronaldo. Félix began his campaign strongly, scoring a hat-trick in his debut and capping it off by providing the decisive assist for the title. He further demonstrated his exceptional abilities by winning the Player of the Month award twice and topping the assists chart with 13, proving himself a truly winning signing who significantly boosted the league's attacking prowess.
Jorge Jesus: The mastermind behind record-breaking victories
On the tactical front, veteran Portuguese coach Jorge Jesus, manager of Al-Nassr, won the Best Coach award. Jesus succeeded in building an indomitable playing system, achieving 28 victories and recording the longest winning streak with 16 consecutive wins. The team's start was phenomenal, securing 10 consecutive victories. Offensively, Al-Nassr scored 91 goals under his leadership, boasting a goal difference of +63. The brilliance wasn't limited to the attack; Al-Nassr equaled Al-Ahli's record for the most clean sheets with 17 matches, achieving the distinction of seven consecutive clean sheets, highlighting the coach's exceptional tactical balance.
Top scorer battle: Quiñones dethrones Ronaldo
The race for the Golden Boot was incredibly exciting, with Mexican striker Julián Quiñones, the Al-Qadsia star, clinching the title after a dramatic battle with England's Evan Tony that went down to the wire. Quiñones raised his tally to 33 goals thanks to a hat-trick in the final round, finishing one goal ahead of Tony. More importantly, Quiñones broke Cristiano Ronaldo's two-year reign as champion, as the Portuguese legend finished his season with 28 goals, highlighting the fierce competition among attacking players in the league.
Local talents: Al-Juwair and Al-Ulaywa prove the worth of the Saudi player
Despite the presence of international stars, local players were not overlooked. Musab Al-Juwair, the Al-Qadisiyah star, was crowned the best Saudi player. Al-Juwair had a dazzling season, contributing to 17 goals (scoring and assisting), equaling the record of Italian Matteo Rettigny. This achievement follows his winning the Best Young Player award last season. He also distinguished himself as one of the top playmakers, surpassing 2,000 passes, placing him alongside established stars like Nacho and Ruben Neves. Meanwhile, Abdulaziz Al-Aliwa, the Al-Kholoud player, won the Best Young Player award after contributing to 6 goals (scoring 4 and assisting 2) and winning 4 monthly awards, confirming that the future of Saudi football lies in a solid foundation of young talent.
Golden Glove: Mendy excels in goalkeeping
In the goalkeeper position, Al-Ahli's Senegalese goalkeeper, Edouard Mendy, demonstrated his extensive international experience by winning the Golden Glove award. Mendy kept a clean sheet in 14 matches, surpassing Al-Hilal's Moroccan goalkeeper, Yassine Bounou. Despite fierce competition, Mendy secured the award by conceding only 18 goals compared to Bounou's 20, in addition to his outstanding performance in saving crucial penalties, which gave him the absolute advantage this season as his team's defensive linchpin.
