Saud Abdulhamid is eager to make "all Saudis proud of my performances" with Roma, following his historic transfer as the first Saudi Arabian footballer to permanently join a team in one of Europe’s top five leagues.
Abdulhamid made the move from Saudi Pro League (SPL) champions Al Hilal to the Italian giants for an initial fee of €2.5 million, potentially rising to €3 million with performance-based bonuses.
He also becomes the first Saudi player to compete in Serie A, donning the number 12 shirt for the Giallorossi.
“To be honest, being here is such a great achievement from a personal point of view,” said Abdulhamid in his first interview with the club since moving to the Italian capital.
“I hope I can give it my all here and make all Saudis proud of my performances.”
The right back, who began his senior career at Al Ittihad in 2018, was a vital member of Al Hilal’s title-winning squad last season, scoring three goals and assisting five more in his 32 appearances.
During his time with the 19-time SPL champions, the 25-year-old played with a plethora of world-class players following the influx of stars from Europe’s top leagues last year.
Brazilian forward Neymar, Serbian striker Aleksandar Mitrović, Portugese midfielder Rúben Neves and Brazilian winger Malcom all joined the Riyadh-based club last season.
Abdulhamid credits these arrivals with elevating his game to a new level.
“I’ve learnt lots from them, they’re big stars,” he said.
“I’ve taken a lot from them: how to become a professional and how to have their mindsets, so yeah, they’ve taught me a lot.”
While Abdulhamid is making history as the first Saudi footballer in Serie A, he already had a better insight than most into the Italian top flight thanks to Saudi national team manager Roberto Mancini.
The Italian, who enjoyed a successful 19-year playing career in Serie A and later achieved notable managerial success with Fiorentina, Lazio, Inter Milan, Manchester City, and Italy, pushed for Abdulhamid to join the three-time Scudetto champions.
“Of course, Mancini is a great coach, he’s the one that recommend I joined Roma,” said Abdulhamid, who is a regular starter for the Saudi national team.
“Thank God I was able to take up this challenge.”
