NEOM SC emerges as the highest-ranked Saudi football club
NEOM SC have been ranked as the leading Saudi Arabian club
for providing opportunities to young players, according to the latest study by
the CIES Football Observatory.
The global analysis assessed clubs from 50 top-flight
leagues and ranked them based on the percentage of domestic league minutes
played in 2026 by footballers who were under the age of 21 when they made their
appearances.
NEOM emerged as the highest-ranked Saudi club, with 19.1
per cent of their league minutes going to U21 players. The club also
averaged 2.11 U21 starters per match, underlining its commitment to
integrating emerging talent alongside established senior players.
The figure places NEOM among a select group of
development-focused clubs worldwide, ahead of prominent sides such as AZ
Alkmaar, Botafogo and Sturm Graz in the CIES ranking.
NEOM’s Young Player Strategy
The recognition is particularly notable given the scale of
NEOM’s squad transformation over the past two years.
Sporting director Kyriakos Dourekas has overseen a
recruitment strategy combining experienced international players with younger
footballers viewed as having the potential to develop at first-team level.
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Importantly, the CIES ranking is based on playing time
rather than squad registration numbers. NEOM’s position therefore indicates
that young players are not merely being included in the squad but are receiving
meaningful opportunities in competitive league matches.
Major Squad Changes During Summer
NEOM underwent another significant rebuild during the summer
transfer window, bringing in a number of new players.
Among the arrivals were Malang Sarr, Mohannad Abu Taha,
Georgios Masouras, Valentin Vada, Faisal Al-Ghamdi, Abdulaziz Al-Othman, Khalil
Al-Absi, Haroune Camara and Khaled Al-Rammah.
There was also considerable movement in the opposite
direction. Luciano Rodriguez, Faris Abdi, Ahmed Abdu, Hassan Al-Ali and
Mustafa Malayka were among the players to leave, while experienced figures
including Salman Al-Faraj, Abdoulaye Doucoure and Ahmed Hegazy also
departed during the summer.
Despite the extensive turnover, young players remain an
important part of NEOM’s sporting plans.
Amadou Kone Emerging as a Key Example
One of the clearest examples is Amadou Kone, who
remains only 21 but has already established himself as an important presence in
midfield following his move from Stade de Reims.
CIES has separately identified Kone among the leading young
midfielders for progressive passing, further highlighting his development since
arriving in Saudi Arabia.
Kone was again influential in NEOM’s latest Saudi Pro League
victory, scoring the third goal in a 3-0 win over Al Khaleej on September
3. Alexandre Lacazette and Muhanad Al Saad had already put NEOM in control with
first-half goals.
NEOM Stand Out in Saudi Football
Globally, FC Nordsjælland topped the CIES ranking,
with U21 players accounting for 48.1 per cent of league minutes, followed
by Strasbourg and Partizan.
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NEOM’s position is particularly significant within Saudi
football, where major investment in established international stars has
dominated the narrative surrounding the league in recent seasons.
The CIES figures suggest that NEOM are pursuing a somewhat
different balance: combining high-profile experience with genuine first-team
opportunities for younger players.
With 19.1 per cent of their league minutes going to U21
footballers, NEOM have established themselves as Saudi Arabia’s leading club
for young-player opportunities — a distinction that could become increasingly
important as the club continues to build its identity and long-term sporting
project.
Source: www.sportingnews.com
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