Grohe an old hand at RSL new boys Al Kholood

Al Kholood will make history in the upcoming season when they become the 29th side to play in the Roshn Saudi League after they earned promotion from the First Division League for the first time in their history.

The club, from Ar Rass in Al Qassim province, might be newcomers in the RSL, but they’ve made an early statement of their intent to stay there with the signing of former Al Ittihad goalkeeper Marcelo Grohe.

The former Brazilian international, 37, is an eye-opening addition at Al Kholood, joining little more than 12 months on from his record-breaking 2022-23 season. Then, as Al Ittihad marched to the RSL title, Grohe set a new mark for the number of clean sheets in a single campaign, with 19.

In his four-and-a-half seasons with the Jeddah giants, the Brazil native established himself as one of the standout shot-stoppers in RSL history, keeping close to 50 clean sheets and producing a highlights reel to match those that has come before him.

Despite his age, Grohe maintains his instinctive reflexes with the athleticism to go alongside, making him a dangerous presence between the sticks. For new top-flight side Al Kholood, it will certainly provide a certain comfort when they are forced to defend against the finest clubs in the Kingdom.

Grohe arrived in Saudi Arabia in 2019 following a glittering, 300-plus game career with his hometown club, Gremio. A graduate of their academy system, he spent close to 20 years at the Porto Alegre side, helping them win their first Copa Libertadores title in 22 years, in 2017. That success came right after Gremio captured the Copa do Brasil the previous year.

Having established himself as one of his country’s leading goalkeepers, Grohe then took a leap of faith to move to Saudi Arabia with Al Ittihad. He wasted little time in showing why he was so highly rated back in his homeland.

Grohe’s standout performances over a number of seasons in black and yellow made him an obvious fan favourite, and his lead role in their title-winning season of 2022-23 - he kept a staggering 19 clean sheets in 30 league matches - will not quickly be forgotten.

Yet, with Al Ittihad looking to refresh their squad after a disappointing 2023-24 campaign, the decision was made to part ways with Grohe after almost 150 appearances in all competitions.

Reflecting on his time in Jeddah, Grohe penned an emotional farewell on Instagram.

“Today marks the end of a cycle that, not even in my best thoughts, I could have imagined would be so incredible” he wrote. “On and off the pitch.

“On January 2, 2019, I landed in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, to face a great challenge. Since then, five and a half years have passed, with experiences I will never forget. I've learned a lot, had many happy moments, situations that have made me grow as an athlete and as a man.

“We've won titles for a passionate fan base, which had been waiting for a long time for us to take centre stage again.

“To all the friends who helped us from the beginning in Jeddah, we will carry the friendship of each one of you forever. To all the people at the club, who welcomed me very well from day one, to the fans who have always been very affectionate towards me and my family.

“My affection for Ittihad, my gratitude for having been part of the history of such a great club and my wish for success in your goals remain. Thank you all very much!”

Al Ittihad’s loss, however, is Al Kholood’s gain as the club will no doubt look to ensure their inaugural season in the RSL is the beginning of a lengthy stay.

Aside from signing one of the competition’s foremost goalkeepers of the past few years, they’ve also recruited a leader, on and off the pitch. That should prove invaluable as Al Kholood look to navigate their way through a first season in the top tier of Saudi football.