Ranking Ighalo, Muntari and the greatest Africans to play in Saudi Arabia

One of the newest arrivals in the Saudi top flight, ex-Nigeria frontman Ighalo signed for Al Shabab following his year-long loan spell at Manchester United.

Ultimately, his time at Old Trafford ended on something of a low note following his inactivity this season, but at 31, he still has much to offer.

The hitman, who has excelled with the likes of Watford and Changchun Yatai, was reportedly set for Major League Soccer before ultimately opting for Saudi.

A Saudi Premier League winner with Al Nassr, Musa also clinched the Saudi Super Cup during his time with the International Najd’s Knight.

Still only 28, Musa spent some of his best years in Saudi Arabia, having struggled to make his mark in the Premier League with Leicester City.

However, despite leaving the club last year, he’s still yet to find a new club, with West Bromwich Albion ultimately opting not to sign him during the January transfer window.

Another player who’s struggled for work after leaving Saudi Arabia, Bony was Africa’s most expensive player as recently as 2017, when Manchester City signed him from Swansea City.

He struggled to replicate his previous goalscoring form with the Premier League leaders, and indeed, his career has somewhat unravelled since then.

The Africa Cup of Nations winner signed for Al-Ittihad in January 2020, and departed just over nine months later, having scored five in 10 league games.

A member of the Egypt squad that won three Africa Cup of Nations titles in a row between 2006 and 2010, Moteab amassed 70 caps for the Pharaohs, scoring 28 goals.

He spent 15 years with Al-Ahly, winning four titles and five Champions Leagues, before moving on loan to Al Ittihad in 2008.

After netting 10 in 15 for the Tigers, Moaty then moved on to Al Taawoun, to limited success.

Another key figure in that glorious Pharaohs side, El-Hadary is a four-time Africa Cup of Nations winner, a veritable legend at Al-Ahly—with whom he clinched eight Egyptian leagues and four Caf CLs—and one of Africa’s greatest goalkeepers of all time.

During a nomadic career, he spent time in Saudi Arabia with Al-Taawoun, with the stint coming just before he became the World Cup’s oldest ever player in 2018.

The keeper, now 48, amassed 159 caps for the Egypt national team during a 22-year international career.

Perhaps the greatest African to play in Saudi Arabia, Muntari made the unexpected move to the Middle East after a three-year spell with AC Milan.

Muntari played for both Milan giants, enjoying greater success with Inter between 2008 and 2012.

He was a two-time Serie A champion with the Nerazzurri, and also clinched both the Champions League and the Club World Cup under Jose Mourinho and Rafael Benitez respectively.

An FA Cup winner with Portsmouth in 2008, Muntari was Mourinho’s choice to bolster the Inter midfield after the current Tottenham Hotspur coach failed in a bid to sign Frank Lampard.

He joined Al-Ittihad in 2015.