Al Buraikan: Al Ahli's prolific Saudi made in Al Fateh

Feras Al Buraikan’s final act as an Al Fateh player came against the club he was soon to join.

The Saudi Arabian forward, then the lead striker for Slaven Bilic’s side, played a pivotal role in one of the upset results of the embryonic 2023-24 Roshn Saudi League season, when Al Fateh swept past a star-studded Al Ahli at home.

Al Buraikan converted a 21st-minute penalty at Al Fateh Club Stadium to cancel out Abbas Al Hassan’s own goal, then assisted Lucas Zelarayan to put the hosts 2-1 up. In the end, a flurry of late goals sealed a shock result: Al Fateh had triumphed 5-1 against one of the anticipated title contenders.

It was Matchweek 5; the date read September 2. Less than 24 hours later, Al Ahli announced Al Buraikan as their latest signing.

Almost 12 months later, in the opening fixture of 2024-25 RSL Matchweek 2, Al Ahli make the trip once more to Al Fateh, providing a homecoming of sorts for a frontman who owes much to former employers. Al Buraikan returns to the club that hoisted him to where he is now: reigning currently as the RSL’s most reliable Saudi goalscorer and a key component of the Kingdom’s national team.

As Al Buraikan would no doubt concede, Al Fateh reignited an emergent career that had been stagnating. Having graduated from Al Nassr’s youth system, the Riyadh-born footballer netted on his professional debut for the Riyadh giants - at 17 years and 333 days, he was the second-youngest scorer in RSL history - but, despite the incredible introduction, he then struggled for game time. In three seasons in the Al Nassr first team, Al Buraikan made only 25 league appearances, playing second fiddle to the likes of Abderrazak Hamdallah.

The desire for more minutes prompted the transfer to Al Fateh in July 2021. Clearly keen to showcase his talent, Al Buraikan wasted little time in repaying the faith: in the first season, he scored 11 times and recorded four assists in the RSL to finish as the club’s top scorer. With it, the league’s most prolific local, too; no other Saudi found the net as often that campaign.

Al Buraikan claimed the same accolade the following season. This time, he had 17 goals in 30 RSL appearances, his reputation growing by the month. In truth, it was already swelling that summer, as Al Buraikan proved instrumental in Saudi Arabia claiming the 2022 AFC U23 Asian Cup title. On the scoresheet in the quarter-final victory against Vietnam, he then struck the second in the 2-0 victory in the final against hosts Uzbekistan.

A mere six months later, Al Buraikan was a member of Herve Renard’s senior team competing at the 2022 FIFA World Cup. He started all three Group C matches in Qatar, setting up Saleh Al Shehri’s equaliser in the historic win against Argentina, the eventual champions. Since, Al Buraikan has latterly become a regular for current national-team manager Roberto Mancini, scoring three goals in three 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.

His international thrive has been made possible by his domestic displays. Last term, and even with Roberto Firmino, Riyad Mahrez and Allan Saint-Maximin in the Al Ahli attack, Al Buraikan notched at almost a goal every two RSL games to eventually conclude the campaign with 17 goals in 32 matches (four of which came with Al Fateh). Again, he resided as the competition's best Saudi marksman. In all, only four players throughout the league scored more.

So, now 24, Al Buraikan arrives back at Al Fateh on Tuesday with a stature and standing made possible by those transformative two-and-a-bit seasons with the club. The reunion could be emotional; it may be yet more emphatic evidence of a striker with the now-familiar "guitar" celebration who has found his groove.

Competitive commitments aside, Al Buraikan is sure to look around Al Ahsa and recognise the foundations laid at Al Fateh.