Former Liverpool forward, Roberto Firmino hit a hat-trick on his Saudi Pro League debut on Friday as Al- Ahli defeated Al-Hazem 3-1.
For the newly promoted club, which also featured fellow newcomers Riyad Mahrez, Allain Saint Maximin, Frank Kessie, and goalkeeper Edouard Mendy, the 31-year-old captain scored in the sixth, tenth and 72nd minutes.
After eight seasons with Liverpool, Firmino left the club in the summer. During that time, he made 362 appearances, scored 111 goals, and won the Premier League, Champions League, and Club World Cup.
Along with Al-Nassr, Al-Hilal, and the reigning champions Al-Ittihad, Al-Ahli is seen as one of the favourites to win the championship.
The Saudi Pro League, which is supported by the country’s sovereign wealth fund, has attracted top players from the top European leagues with the prospect of enormous earnings.
