Al-Hilal Stay Top as Saudi Pro League Takes International Break

The seventh round of the Saudi Pro League season has concluded with Al-Hilal retaining top spot, while Al-Ittihad moved into second and Al-Nassr remained third as the competition paused for the international break.

Al-Hilal responded strongly to their previous defeat by producing a 6-0 victory over Al-Taawoun. New arrivals Gabriel Martinelli and Ollie Watkins made an immediate impact, scoring five goals between them in a dominant performance.

The result was overshadowed by an incident involving a section of home supporters. Videos circulated online showing fans chanting “Jota” towards Al-Hilal midfielder Ruben Neves, a former teammate and friend of Liverpool player Diego Jota, who died in a car accident in 2025.

Neves appeared visibly upset by the chants, while Al-Nassr captain Cristiano Ronaldo condemned the behaviour and called for those responsible to be banned from stadiums.

“The league must take action and punish this kind of fan behavior,” Ronaldo said on social media. “This is no longer football, and there have to be limits.”

Elsewhere, Ivan Toney continued his prolific start to the season for Al-Ahli, scoring twice in a 3-1 victory over Al-Hazm. Toney helped turn the match around after Al-Ahli conceded inside the opening minute, setting up Francisco Trincao’s equaliser before winning and converting a penalty.

He added another goal before half-time to take his league tally to 10 for the season. Toney later missed a second-half penalty, but Al-Ahli held on for an important victory. Neom moved above them into fifth after beating Al-Fateh 4-2.

Al-Qadsiah missed an opportunity to move top after surrendering a two-goal advantage in a 3-3 draw against local rivals Ettifaq. Julian Quinones and Mateo Retegui helped the hosts establish a 2-0 lead within 15 minutes, but Ettifaq fought back.

Alvaro Medran produced a spectacular equaliser before Al-Qadsiah regained the lead with nine minutes remaining. They were unable to protect it, leaving the title contenders frustrated after dropping two points.

Al-Nassr also failed to keep pace with Al-Hilal after being held to a 1-1 draw by Al-Khaleej. Ronaldo struggled to influence the match, while Joao Felix was largely kept quiet. Abdullah Al-Hamdan rescued a point for Al-Nassr with a superb strike after Al-Khaleej had taken the lead before half-time.

Al-Ittihad, meanwhile, continued their strong run with a 3-1 victory over Al-Faisaly. The result lifted the Jeddah club into second, just one point behind Al-Hilal.

Despite losing several high-profile players during the summer, Al-Ittihad have adapted quickly under coach Jens Wissing. Their latest victory suggests the club has developed a stronger collective identity as the league heads into its international break.