Karim Benzema was lured by Saudi Arabia's "huge project" and the fact it is a Muslim country when he decided to end a trophy-laden stint with Real Madrid to move to Al-Ittihad, the French striker said on Wednesday.

Cristiano Ronaldo made the most of both awful defending and a plume of smoke to set Al-Nasr on the way to a 4-3 victory against Al-Ahli in the Saudi Pro League.

Saudi Pro League (SPL) clubs have splurged $957 million on players in the close season transfer window, according to analysis from Deloitte published on Friday.

Ronaldo scored his sixth goal in his last three games and claimed two assists as Al Nassr recorded a third straight league victory. Sadio Mane was also on the scoresheet.

Cristiano Ronaldo was named in Portugal's squad on Friday for upcoming Euro 2024 qualifiers against Slovakia and Luxembourg.

The Portuguese superstar got things underway in the 13th minute as he converted from the spot after a handball in the Al Shabab penalty area. He added to his tally five minutes later with a header only for the goal to be disallowed for a push on a defender.

Cristiano Ronaldo scored a hat-trick and also set up one of Sadio Mane’s two goals as Al-Nassr roared to a 5-0 victory over Al Fateh to seal their first win in this season’s Saudi Pro League on Friday.

The Saudi Pro League side came from behind to triumph 4-2 in the play-off at Mrsool Park, with Brazilian Anderson Talisca scoring twice and Croatia international Marcelo Brozovic rounding off the win. Nassr had been two minutes from exiting the tournament

Brazilian winger Neymar might have to wait until September to make his debut for Saudi Arabia's Al-Hilal because of injury, coach Jorge Jesus said.

Aleksandar Mitrovic joined the Premier League exodus to Saudi Arabia by leaving Fulham for a club record fee to join Al Hilal on Saturday.

Brazilian superstar Neymar will be unveiled to fans at Al-Hilal on Saturday as he becomes the latest world-famous footballer snapped up by the big-spending Saudi Pro League.

A rock star welcome will await him at the King Fahd International Stadium in Riyadh where he will be unveiled before thousands of fans on Saturday.

Al-Hilal have signed Morocco goalkeeper Yassine Bounou from Spanish side Sevilla on a three-year contract, the Saudi Pro League club said on Thursday.

The 31-year-old Neymar signed a two-year contract with the Riyadh-based club on Tuesday after spending six years with Paris St Germain, in a deal reportedly worth about 90 million euros ($98 million)

Cristiano Ronaldo's arrival in January to play for Riyadh-based Al-Nassr is what first drew global attention to ongoing efforts to boost the Saudi Pro League.

Saudi Professional League (SPL) club Al-Hilal announced that Neymar had signed a contract until 2025, with the Brazilian saying, "I am here in Saudi Arabia, I am Hilali" in a video on the team's social media accounts

The Brazil international joined the French champions for 220 million euros ($241m) from Barcelona in 2017

Cristiano Ronaldo slotted home from the spot in the final minutes to propel his Saudi Pro League side Al Nassr to their first-ever Arab Club Champions Cup final after a 1-0 win over Al Shorta in the semifinal at the Prince Sultan bin Abdul Aziz Stadium in Abha on Wednesday.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp on Tuesday urged football authorities to address the late closure of the transfer window in the Saudi Arabia league, fearing it may have a detrimental effect on European clubs.

Bayern Munich boss Thomas Tuchel said Tuesday he was saddened that things didn't work out for Sadio Mane at the club but feels his departure is for the best.