Alex Collado: From FC Barcelona to Al Kholood's key component

If you were to travel back in time to 2019 - not that far back in the grand scheme of things - Alex Collado was a 20-year-old emerging from Barcelona’s famed La Masia academy, the breeding ground that produced Lionel Messi, Xavi, Andres Iniesta and a collection of other modern-day greats.

The Catalonia native was making his debut for the five-time European champions towards the end of the 2018-19 season, although it was a debut he’d rather forget. Against Celta Vigo, Barcelona slumped to one of only three defeats in that La Liga campaign as they finished runaway champions.

While opportunities proved to be limited at Camp Nou, Collado spent time on loan at Granada and Elche, and was linked with a host of European heavyweights, including AC Milan and Celtic.

Despite the overtures, he decided to stay in Spain, signing a six-year deal with Real Betis. However, before even playing a game for the Andalusian side, Collado secured a move on loan to the Roshn Saudi League with Al Okhdood.

Given his pedigree and age, his signing was understandably considered a real coup for the Najran-based club as they prepared to compete in the RSL for the first time in their history.

In what was a challenging debut season in the top flight, Collado stood out. There were four goals and three assists, none better than the long-range screamer he scored against Al Ittihad, the league’s defending champions, in a 2-1 defeat in March.

Surviving the drop by a single point, in the off-season Collado swapped one RSL debutant for another, joining promoted Al Kholood for the 2024-25 campaign.

“It has been an honour to be part of the Al Okhdood family,” he shared on social media. “I am very proud to have contributed to keeping this club in the [RSL] for another year, as this was our goal when I arrived, and we achieved it with everyone’s effort.

“However, sometimes life requires making difficult decisions, and now it is time to follow a new path.”

Difficult though the decision may have been, it’s been a successful one so far, with Collado picking up where he left off last season. As it was last term for Al Okhdood, it’s been a tough initiation to the RSL for Al Kholood, who have a solitary win in their opening seven fixtures.

Collado, however, is showing the benefit of having a season’s experience. He has quickly become the team’s main attacking outlet. Deployed chiefly on the right wing, where he loves to cut in on his dangerous left foot, he has already matched his tally of four goals from last season.

The pick of the bunch came as recently as Sunday, when away to Al Fateh, Collado again produced a stunning long-range effort that opened the scoring in the eventual 1-1 draw.

Highlights, though, have been otherwise few and far between this season for Al Kholood. Already, Paulo Duarte has been replaced in the dugout, with Collado joined by a familiar face during the just-gone FIFA international break in former Al Okhdood manager Noureddine Zekri. The Algerian is renowned as something of a relegation-saving specialist, having kept all of Damac, Al Fayha and Al Okhdood afloat in recent years.

At Al Kholood, he won’t just be hoping to survive but thrive. For that, Collado is sure to play a pivotal role in helping the debutants achieve just that.

As Al Kholood search for only their second win of the season, on Friday they face the daunting task of a visit from third-placed Al Nassr. The Riyadh giants are undefeated in their past 11 in all competitions, and their most recent 18 in the RSL.

With their own new manager in charge, former AC Milan manager Stefano Pioli, Al Nassr have won five on the bounce. For Al Kholood, then, the challenges don’t get much bigger.

But it’s one that that Collado will no doubt relish. While he never got the chance to play in an El Clasico for Barcelona, if he can get one over Cristiano Ronaldo, the Real Madrid legend and current Al Nassr captain, that taste of success will be just as sweet for the Blaugrana product.