# Al Raed FC

Al Raed Saudi Football Club (Arabic: نادي الرائد Nādī ar-Rāʾid; lit. 'Pioneer Club') is a Saudi football club based in Buraidah, and the first of its kind in the Qassim region of Saudi Arabia. One of the club's notable founders is Abdulaziz Al-Aboudi. Established in 1954, Al Raed have played in the Saudi Pro League, the top division of Saudi football, since 2008.

## History

The team was able to qualify for the Premier League Saudi Arabia in 1980–1981. It met Club K in the qualifiers held in Riyadh. In 1986, it was the first team from the Qassim region to enter the Saudi Premier League. The team repeated this ascension to the Premier League at the end of 1989, 1992, 1998, 2002 and 2007. The junior team reached the Saudi Premier League clubs for juniors in 1999, and in 2003.
Al-Raed FC has had varied performances in the King’s Cup over recent seasons. Here’s an overview:
2021–2022 Season: Round of 16: Al-Raed was eliminated by Al-Hilal.
2022–2023 Season: Round of 16: Al-Raed faced Al-Nassr and was knocked out after a 3-0 defeat.
2023–2024 Season: Round of 32: Al-Raed was eliminated by Al-Najma.
2024–2025 Season: Quarter-Finals: Al-Raed progressed to the quarter-finals, defeating Al-Jabalain.
This progression to the quarter-finals in the 2024–2025 season marks an improvement compared to previous seasons, indicating a positive trajectory in Al-Raed’s King’s Cup performances.

## Stadium

The club play their home games at King Abdullah Sports City in Buraidah. They share the stadium with rivals Al-Taawoun, with whom they contest the Al-Qassim derby.

## Honours

* Saudi First Division League
** Winners (2): 1991–92, 2007–08
** Runners-up (4): 1985–86,1988–89, 1998–99, 2001–02

## Current squad

    As of January 2025
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 1 | GK | POR | André Moreira |
| 4 | DF | KSA | Abdullah Hazazi |
| 5 | MF | LBR | Salomon Tweh |
| 7 | MF | ALG | Amir Sayoud |
| 8 | MF | NOR | Mathias Normann |
| 9 | FW | KSA | Raed Al-Ghamdi |
| 10 | MF | MAR | Mohamed Fouzair |
| 11 | FW | MAR | Karim El Berkaoui |
| 12 | DF | KSA | Zakaria Hawsawi |
| 13 | DF | KSA | Abdullah Al-Yousef |
| 15 | MF | KSA | Saleh Al-Amri (on loan from Al-Ittihad) |
| 16 | DF | MAR | Ayoub Qasmi |
| 17 | MF | ALG | Mehdi Abeid |
| 18 | MF | KSA | Naif Hazazi |
| 21 | DF | CMR | Oumar Gonzalez |
| 23 | GK | KSA | Basil Al-Anzi $^{U19}$ |
| 24 | MF | KSA | Khalid Al-Subaie |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 26 | FW | ALG | Yousri Bouzok |
| 28 | DF | KSA | Hamad Al-Jayzani |
| 30 | GK | KSA | Saleh Al-Ohaymid |
| 31 | GK | EGY | Abdelrahman Sherif $^{U19}$ |
| 32 | DF | KSA | Mohammed Al-Dossari |
| 41 | FW | KSA | Nawaf Al-Sahli |
| 42 | MF | KSA | Anas Al-Zahrani |
| 45 | MF | KSA | Yahya Sunbul |
| 47 | DF | KSA | Mubarak Al-Shayie $^{U19}$ |
| 48 | FW | KSA | Faisal Nahet $^{U19}$ |
| 50 | GK | KSA | Meshari Sunyur |
| 55 | GK | KSA | Feras Al-Rajhi $^{U19}$ |
| 70 | FW | SLE | Moses Turay |
| 77 | MF | SYR | Hamoud Bassam |
| 94 | DF | KSA | Mubarak Al-Rajeh |
| 99 | FW | KSA | Thamer Al-Khaibari $^{U19}$ (on loan from Al-Ettifaq) |

### Out on loan

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 2 | DF | KSA | Bandar Whaeshi (at Al-Tai) |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 43 | DF | KSA | Abdullah Al-Rawdhan $^{U19}$ (at Al-Saqer) |

## Management staff

| Position | Staff |
| Manager | Odair Hellmann |
| Assistant manager | Maurício Dulac Vinícius Martins Hércules Júnior |
| Goalkeeper coach | Mohamed Amine Bourayou |
| Fitness coach | Admilson Pinheiro |
| Sporting director | Victor Manuzzi |

## Managers

* El-Sayed El-Attiyah (1980–81)
* Joel Castro (1990–91)
* Mahmoud El-Khawaga (1991)
* China (1998–99)
* Aderbal Lana (1992–94)
* Senad Kreso (July 1, 2000 – November 25, 2000)
* Marco Cunha (November 25, 2000 – February 13, 2001)
* China (February 13, 2001 – January 7, 2002)
* Abdulaziz Al-Owdah (January 15, 2002 – May 1, 2002)
* José Fernandes (July 1, 2002 – September 22, 2002)
* Hani El Antabli (caretaker) (September 22, 2002 – October 24, 2002)
* Gainete (October 24, 2002 – December 28, 2002)
* Yousef Khamees (December 28, 2002 – April 27, 2003)
* Hani El Antabli (caretaker) (April 27, 2003 – October 8, 2003)
* Viorel Kraus (October 8, 2003 – January 30, 2004)
* Abdulaziz Al-Owdah (February 4, 2004 – February 13, 2004)
* Hani El Antabli (caretaker) (February 13, 2004 – February 25, 2004)
* Khalil Al-Masri (February 25, 2004 – May 1, 2004)
* Luís Freire (July 10, 2004 – March 21, 2005)
* Abdulaziz Al-Owdah (March 21, 2005 – April 24, 2005)
* Mohammed Al-Nodali (caretaker) (April 24, 2005 – September 1, 2005)
* Aboud El Khodary (September 1, 2005 – November 14, 2005)
* Khalil Al-Masri (November 17, 2005 – February 12, 2006)
* Khalid Al-Koroni (February 12, 2006 – May 1, 2006)
* Mohammed Aldo (May 4, 2006 – December 21, 2008)
* Luís Antônio Zaluar (December 29, 2008 – June 1, 2009)
* Acácio Casimiro (June 21, 2009 – October 4, 2009)
* Edison Mario Souza (October 4, 2009 – May 30, 2010)
* Lucho Nizzo (July 15, 2010 – November 7, 2010)
* Eurico Gomes (November 7, 2010 – October 17, 2011)
* Hafez Al-Hoarbi (caretaker) (October 17, 2011 – October 28, 2011)
* Ammar Souayah (October 28, 2011 – February 1, 2013)
* Vlatko Kostov (February 2, 2013 – June 1, 2013)
* Noureddine Zekri (June 26, 2013 – February 14, 2014)
* Emad Al-Sulami (caretaker) (February 14, 2014 – March 2, 2014)
* Marc Brys (March 2, 2014 – May 1, 2014)
* Vlatko Kostov (May 31, 2014 – September 1, 2014)
* Emad Al-Sulami (caretaker) (September 1, 2014 – October 7, 2014)
* Marc Brys (October 7, 2014 – March 24, 2015)
* Ammar Souayah (March 24, 2015 – May 19, 2015)
* Abdelkader Amrani (June 8, 2015 – August 29, 2015)
* Takis Lemonis (September 3, 2015 – February 1, 2016)
* Reda Hakam (caretaker) (February 1, 2016 – February 4, 2016)
* Aleksandar Ilić (February 4, 2016 – June 17, 2016)
* Nacif Beyaoui (June 17, 2016 – May 14, 2017)
* Taoufik Rouabah (June 4, 2017 – October 1, 2017)
* Ciprian Panait (October 4, 2017 – February 5, 2018)
* Aleksandar Ilić (February 5, 2018 – June 1, 2018)
* Besnik Hasi (July 26, 2018 – June 1, 2021)
* Pablo Machín (June 19, 2021 – January 26, 2022)
* João Pedro Sousa (January 26, 2022 – May 24, 2022)
* Yousef Al-Ghadeer (June 6, 2022 – June 28, 2022)
* Marius Șumudică (June 30, 2022 – June 1, 2023)
* Igor Jovićević (July 9, 2023 – June 1, 2024)
* Odair Hellmann (July 14, 2024 – )