Newcastle United in Saudi Arabia: What Yasir Al-Rumayyan and Majed Al Sorour saw in Riyadh

Newcastle United lifted the sizeable Diriyah Season Cup trophy following their 5-0 win over Al Hilal. The ceremony at the Prince Faisal bin Fahd Stadium was topped off with ticker tape, and fireworks lit up the night sky.

On the pitch, the fireworks had come from Eddie Howe’s team, though the Saudi Pro League champions had made it tough early in the game.

Loris Karius, making his first appearance for the club, made five good saves during an impressive 45-minute stint in goal.

But what was most striking was the genuine enthusiasm for the game, and for Newcastle, now 80%-owned by the country’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), among the Saudi crowd.

One side of the ground was packed, and there was no let up in the noise from the Saudi fans, and especially those in front of the press seats. To make Newcastle feel at home, the hosts played the Blaydon Races before and after the game.

I’d heard a lot about the passion for football in Saudi Arabia before arriving in the capital, and it was evident during the game. And I lost count of the number of young fans who nodded their approval, or made the sign of a heart, as they walked in front of the press box.

Riyadh today was described by one seasoned traveller as being much like Dubai was 15 or 20 years ago.

The country’s slowly changing and modernising. It has a young population, and more changes are mooted as it opens up for tourism.

Back to the game, and Howe and his players were applauded off the pitch at the end by an appreciative crowd.

"You can see everyone's very passionate about the club, and that’s great to see,” said United’s head coach.

“We had a very, very good welcome, and I think it’s been a really good experience for us.”

Watching brief

The fixture, watched by club chairman Yasir Al-Rumayyan and director Majed Al Sorour, was the kind of workout Howe’s players needed. They applied themselves well in the heat, and had the quality in the final third of the pitch to win comfortably.

That said, the injuries suffered by Chris Wood and Joelinton are a concern.

Wood went into the Al Hilal game as the club’s only fit and available senior striker with Callum Wilson away at the World Cup and Alexander Isak still not yet ready to play following a spell out with a thigh injury.

Joelinton, of course, has been a key player for Howe, who’s preparing for the December 21 Carabao Cup tie against Bournemouth, his former club.

Just imagine the celebrations on Tyneside, and maybe among the club’s newer fans in Riyadh too, if United can go all the way.

Newcastle’s new owners want to see the team win a major trophy as much as the club’s fanbase, and Al-Rumayyan, also governor of PIF, and Al Sorour again saw for themselves just what Howe’s high-pressing and committed team is all about.

And, conceivably, United could really have something to celebrate this season.