Beirut (Lebanon) (AFP) - Saudi full-back Saud Abdel Hamid took full advantage of his opportunity to start with Lens, and led them to the top of the French Football League at the expense of European champion Paris Saint-Germain.

Published on: 02/16/2026 - 14:57

The 26-year-old, loaned from Italian club Roma, gave a distinguished performance on Saturday at Paris FC, when he played as a starter, benefiting from the suspension of veteran Ruben Aguilar.

With a clean score, Lens won and topped the Ligue 1 standings, one point ahead of defending champion Saint-Germain, 12 stages before the end of the league.

Abdel Hamid created the second goal for his teammate Wesley Saeed after an individual effort on the right corridor, then caused a penalty kick that was converted by Florian Thauvin in the second half.

Abdul Hamid received the third highest rating among his teammates, behind goalkeeper Robin Risé and Saeed, as the accuracy of his passes reached 90 percent, in addition to 4 defensive contributions and 3 clearances, in addition to winning 4 duels.

He raised his tally of scoring contributions to 5, as he scored one goal and made four assists in the 18 matches he played this season in various competitions.

The best ambassador for Saudi Arabia

Addressing the Saudi audience, Saud said, “Your words and expressions are the greatest incentive to always provide the best, and with God’s permission, we will be the best ambassador for our beloved Kingdom in European stadiums. Today is a win and a lead, and the coming is more beautiful, God willing.”

He played just over half a season with Lens, more than he did with Roma when he arrived in Europe last season (717 minutes with Lens compared to 380 minutes with Roma, in 8 matches).

His coach, Pierre Sage, said, "He succeeded in adapting to European football, whether in dealing with the professional element or in how he managed his weeks and matches."

Abdel Hamid started five league matches, four of them in the last six matches

The 46-year-old young coach added, "He is performing well, which is exactly what we are looking for in our team. We have had a very effective player since the beginning of the season, so the choice is difficult in every match, especially in light of the intense competition."

He continued, "Ruben (Aguilar) was the most prominent candidate in the beginning, but Saud did not give up and continued working. When Ruben was injured, we realized his ability to play. Now, the options are expanding again and becoming clearer."

"He had the courage to leave his country"

Since leaving the capital, Riyadh, in the summer of 2024, Abdul Hamid’s situation has changed radically after he began sitting on the reserve bench, while he was a key player with Al-Ittihad and then Al-Hilal, with whom he won the league title twice.

“He had the courage to leave his country, and he certainly received tempting offers,” confirmed Frenchman Laurent Bonade, former assistant to his compatriot Herve Renard, the national team coach.

For his part, Francois Rodriguez (56 years old), the current assistant coach of the Green Falcons, said: “In Saudi Arabia, they are football stars. It may be difficult to reach the highest levels, and they sometimes feel too comfortable.”

“He was 20 years old in 2019, and when Hervé entrusted me with coaching the team for the Arab Cup, a year before the World Cup, we had decided to use a renewed squad,” Bonadi, the current coach of the French women’s national football team, recounts.

The 56-year-old Frenchman assigned him the role of defensive midfielder, which was his favorite position as a child.

He continued about Abdul Hamid, who in December became the first Saudi player to score a goal in European competitions, with Roma in the Europa League, "Then he moved to the wing because he has great strength and speed. He also has good jumping ability and physical toughness. He is strong in tackles. But I made him a leader, in the heart of the field, and he gave an outstanding performance in the competition."

He added about Saud, who has so far carried the colors of Saudi Arabia in 48 international matches, “After that, Herve gave him enough time to play in the World Cup, and that was a resounding success.”

According to the coach, he needed to work on his positioning, improve the effectiveness and accuracy of his crosses, and avoid falling into the trap of his speed. “He has made progress in this aspect.”

His cheerful nature, which is often accompanied by a wide smile, makes it easy for him to integrate, and thanks to his precise observation and ability to listen, Abdul Hamid began to reap the fruits of his brilliance on the field.

© 2026 AFP

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