Saudi League: How Ronaldo, Mane and Other Top Stars Performed During International Break

The Saudi Professional League resumes on Friday, October 20, after an almost two-week break, which paved the way for this month's round of international matches.

Notably, several top-tier Saudi-based players played crucial roles in their national team's duties during the break, with Cristiano Ronaldo and Sadio Mane once again capturing the spotlight.

Sports Brief delves into their performances during the international break as match day 10 of the 2023-24 season draws near.

How the Saudi-based top stars performed

Let's start with none other than the trailblazer Cristiano Ronaldo, whose blockbuster move to Al-Nassr following a tumultuous second spell with Manchester United paved the way for other stars of his calibre to make the leap from Europe to the Middle East.

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The five-time Ballon d'Or awardee, who has been in scintillating form throughout 2023, surpassed Erling Haaland of Manchester City to become the top scorer in the calendar year, netting an impressive 40 goals in 43 games for both club and country, per Fan Nation.

Ronaldo secured a brace against Slovakia, aiding Portugal in clinching an early qualification spot for the European Championships with a 3-2 victory over their Group J adversaries. He followed up with another double, this time against Sonia and Herzegovina, as the Selecao maintained their flawless qualifying record.

Otavio, who shares allegiances with both Al-Nassr and Portugal just like CR7, also made significant contributions on the field during the doubleheader, playing five minutes against Slovakia and completing 84 minutes against the Dragons.

Sadio Mane, among the many esteemed stars who joined the Saudi surge this summer, found the net for Senegal as the reigning African champions edged out Cameroon in an international friendly, Kick442 reports.

Unfortunately, Marcelo Brozovic, the ever-present midfield maestro of Al-Nassr, sustained an injury during the international break.

Despite this setback, he played the full 90 minutes across two unsuccessful matches for Croatia, who faced defeats against Turkey and Wales in their Euro 2024 Qualifiers.

While Brozovic encountered defeats in both matches, Aymeric Laporte and the Spanish national team secured double triumphs, ensuring La Roja's qualification for the quadrennial tournament with two games to spare.

Seko Fofana, previously of RC Lens, featured for Ivory Coast, who are set to host the rest of Africa in next year's African Cup of Nations. The 28-year-old played the entire 90 minutes against Morocco and South Africa.

Across the Riyadh divide, Al-Hilal experienced mixed fortunes during October's round of international fixtures. Star signing Neymar Jr., who opened his goal-scoring account for the Blue Waves just before the break, suffered a devastating injury against Uruguay, according to BBC.

The former Barcelona and PSG forward was visibly distraught as he sustained an injury that appears to end his season, with Brazil losing to the two-time world champions in the CONMEBOL qualification for the 2026 World Cup.

Prior to that, the all-time top scorer for Brazil played the full 90 minutes as Venezuela held them to a frustrating 1-1 draw.

While Al-Hilal witnessed pain and sorrow in South America, Aleksandar Mitrovic brought joy to Serbia and to the current league leaders, aiding Serbia in returning to winning ways after their disappointing 2-1 defeat to Hungary.

The former Fulham striker scored twice as Serbia secured a 3-1 victory against Montenegro, propelling them to the second position and bringing them to the brink of qualification for Euro 2024.

Kalidou Koulibaly, much like Sadio Mane, showcased a full-throttle performance for Senegal as the Lions of Teranga triumphed over Cameroon, also known as the Indomitable Lions, in the battle of the Lions.

Goalkeeper Yassine Bounou put on an impressive display for 2022 World Cup semifinalists Morocco, securing a draw against Ivory Coast in an international friendly before claiming victory against Liberia in their final 2023 AFCON qualifying match.

Ruben Neves, a pivotal figure in the heart of midfield for Al-Hilal, played a supporting role in Portugal's success during the break, while Sergej Milinkovic-Savic enjoyed more game time for Serbia.

Wrapping up, Riyad Mahrez, a multiple Premier League winner, inspired Algeria to a resounding 5-1 victory against Cape Verde and also played a crucial role in salvaging a draw for the Desert Foxes against Egypt in an enthralling 1-1 match.

His teammate at Al Ahli, Franck Kessie, similarly contributed to Ivory Coast's international assignments, while Edouard Mendy, guarding the net for Senegal, put on a commendable performance against Cameroon, securing a clean sheet in the process.