🇮🇹 Retegui: Saudi move and Italy call-up? 17 players did it ⚠️
This is a decision subject to change, but it would be consistent with that of many other national teams, who regularly call up some players currently in the Saudi Pro League.
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It's worth noting the situation of Portugal, which has as many as 4 players in Saudi Arabia: CR7, Ruben Neves, Cancelo, and Otavio (the only one not central to the Portuguese project).
Al Nassr: 5 players
Al Nassr has 5 players who are often called up to their national teams: CR7 and Otavio (Portugal), Sadio Mané (Senegal), Marcelo Brozovic (Croatia), and Laporte (Spain).
Of these players, only Otavio is in doubt for call-ups, while the others are regularly part of their national teams.
Al Hilal: 6 players
The team with the most players in prominent national teams is Al-Hilal: Mitrovic and Milinkovic-Savic (Serbia), Ruben Neves and Cancelo (Portugal), Koulibaly (Senegal), and Bono (Morocco).
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In this case, all the players on the list are either starters or important squad members for their national teams. There remains a question about Theo Hernandez: will Deschamps call him up despite his transfer?
Al Ahli: 5 players
5 players also for Al-Ahli, who have signed Mahrez (Algeria), Demiral (Turkey), Mendy (Senegal), Toney (England), and Kessie (Ivory Coast).
The only player in doubt for call-ups is Ivan Toney: in 2025 he made only one appearance for England, but even before moving to Saudi Arabia he was not at the top of the pecking order, blocked by Kane's presence.
Al Qadsiah: 1 player
Mateo Retegui's next team has been able to count on an 'international' player from an important country: namely Nahitan Nandez (Uruguay).
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In the past year, Aubameyang also played for this club, but since he represents Gabon, he didn't face much competition for a national team spot.
Bonus: not called up now, but in the past yes
There are also players who are no longer called up today but who in the past have been selected by their countries even while playing in Saudi Arabia.
These include Kanté (signed in 2023 and a starter for France until 2024); Wijnaldum (signed in 2023 and called up by the Netherlands until 2024); Roger Ibanez (signed in 2023 and called up by Brazil only once after his transfer); Malcom (with the same path as Ibanez).
This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇮🇹 here.
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