Casteels stands tall as Al-Qadsiah continue to rise in the Saudi Pro League

Casteels admitted that seeing the exodus of talented players such as Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema from Europe to Saudi Arabia piqued his interest in a move to the Kingdom. (X.com)
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Updated 24 February 2025
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Casteels stands tall as Al-Qadsiah continue to rise in the Saudi Pro League

  • Belgian goalkeeper speaks to Arab News about the King’s Cup, superstar colleague Aubameyang and coach Michel’s motivation

LONDON: Something special is happening at Al-Qadsiah this season. Since returning to the Saudi Pro League after a five-year absence, coach Michel’s side — emboldened by a host of new summer arrivals — is defying expectations and stands on the brink of a historic campaign.

Currently third in the Saudi Pro League table after a 2-0 win over Al-Okhdood on Friday and with a King’s Cup semi-final against Al-Raed to come in April, Qadsiah have been one of the Kingdom’s most consistent sides in 2024-2025. Just as he did when winning the Saudi First Division title last season, Michel has built a team that is defensively sound, but sprinkled liberally with attacking stardust.

Providing Qadsiah’s solidity between the posts this time around is Belgium national team goalkeeper Koen Casteels, who ended a nine-year stint at Wolfsburg to move to the Kingdom last summer.

Casteels was one of several new arrivals, joining the likes of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Julian Quinones and Nacho Fernandez in seeing Qadsiah’s potential to be more competitive than most normal newly-promoted sides.

“I think it was very clear from how the club talked to me before I signed, but also in the way they recruited other players, that there were big ambitions,” Casteels told Arab News. 

“But simply getting good players is not enough in football. I think the recruitment was very smart in every position — not only big names but smart decisions.

“Now we have a team that fits together very well and I think that’s one of the main reasons why we are now up there (at the top end of the table).”

Casteels admitted that seeing the exodus of talented players such as Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema from Europe to Saudi Arabia piqued his interest in a move to the Kingdom, although he is keen to highlight the increasing depth in quality throughout the Saudi Pro League.

“It’s very nice to play against these big names but I think it’s far more than only these big names,” Casteels said. “I think there are also a lot of players who maybe don’t have the name of Ronaldo or Benzema but are just quality-wise very good; this is what you see in teams throughout the league — they all have good players.

“You see every transfer window that there are big names and good players coming to the league. That was also the point that made me say ‘OK, why shouldn't I go?’ Because the quality is improving and the league is getting better and better.”

Casteels was one of Qadsiah’s first summer acquisitions, announced before his participation in Euro 2024 with Belgium. It was followed by the marquee signings of Real Madrid stalwart Fernandez and former Barcelona and Arsenal forward Aubameyang, which really signalled Qadsiah’s intent for the 2024-2025 campaign.

“On the pitch they bring a lot of quality, experience and know-how in certain situations,” Casteels said of Nacho and Aubameyang. “Especially for me as a goalkeeper, it’s great to have a guy like Nacho in front of me who knows exactly what to do in different situations — making smart decisions and positioning himself.

“It’s very nice to play with those guys and obviously Auba is also scoring for us and doing well. Apart from the hard work that he does for us as a team, he’s entertaining too. It’s also nice to have a guy who is also speaking French. He’s a really great guy.

“Some people maybe would think he’s 35 and he’s just ending his career in Saudi Arabia, but he’s so hardworking. Every day I see him in the gym, still putting the work in. That’s also very important because we want to evolve as a team and we want to grow as a team and therefore we need everybody on their top level. These guys are doing that.”

With quality now running through the backbone of Qadsiah’s team, the club is enjoying its best season in more than 30 years. Qadsiah won the Crown Prince’s Cup in 1992, before adding the Saudi Federation Cup and Asian Cup Winners’ Cup in 1994; they remain the club’s only major trophies.

But with a convincing 3-0 victory over Al-Taawoun last month, Casteels and Co. put Qadsiah into the King’s Cup semi-finals for the first time since 1989. Now only Al-Raed stand in the club’s way of a first final — in which either Al-Ittihad or Al-Shabab would await.

“If you’re into the last four, I would lie if I say, ‘let’s only see in the next game’,” Casteels said. “Of course, if you’re into the last four, you want to win the tournament. But it also depends on a lot of factors and it is really the next game we have to win to get into the final. Then everything is possible.

“I have had some experiences in Germany where you face a team which on paper is maybe not the biggest. But it’s the cup and it’s the semi-final of the cup so you have to take it as an extremely difficult game. I think when there are still four teams left, there are no easy games anymore.

“It’s still a long way off so we will focus on the league and then the cup can come. But of course we are very hungry for it. I think all the players want to go into the final to see what happens there.”

Whether or not Michel’s side wins the King’s Cup, their league form may still be enough to carry Qadsiah to qualification for their first AFC Champions League Elite campaign. Casteels, however, is keen to take it one game at a time.

“I think if you focus on trying to get better every game or every training then maybe this (AFC Champions League qualification) will come automatically if you’re good enough. We are not thinking a lot about that to be honest at the moment — it’s not a big talking point in the dressing room.”

Casteels has been playing at the top level for his entire career — spending 13 years in Germany with Hoffenheim, Werder Bremen and Wolfsburg. Before that, he came through the academy of four-time Belgian Pro League winners Genk.

The goalkeeper is in illustrious company, with fellow Belgian national team players Yannick Carrasco, Christian Benteke, Kevin De Bruyne and Thibaut Courtois also on Genk’s impressive list of academy graduates. Casteels is the same age as Courtois, but played a year ahead of the Real Madrid goalkeeper as both players emerged at Genk.

“We both had games on the weekend, which was very important for our development,” Casteels recalled. “I think he played one game for the Genk first team when he was 16 but then a few months later I went to Hoffenheim so we went our separate ways and had our own careers. 

“It was nice to have him with me at Genk. We were friends — going to the same school, sitting in the same class. We grew up together in Genk and played in two different youth teams so there was not really competition. We trained together a few times and obviously it’s nice to have quality goalkeepers because this also elevates you.”

When it comes to world-class goalkeepers, however, there was one name who stood head and shoulders above the rest as a role model for Casteels growing up.

“I always looked up to Edwin van der Sar because he was doing his job in a very easy way,” Casteels said. “He was always in the right position, good with his feet — and there was never too much show or shouting a lot.

“He was maybe not like the typical footballer — quite shy and with his feet on the ground. He would just do the job and I think this was something I could relate to.”

At Qadsiah, Casteel has quickly built a reputation as a reliable No. 1 whose solidity has helped his team have the meanest defence in the Saudi Pro League this season. The Belgian has conceded just 15 goals, and kept 11 clean sheets, although he is quick to credit the contributions of others.

“One of our strengths this season and why we kept so many clean sheets is that the whole team is defending,” he says. “The defence is doing well and they rely on the midfielders — then the midfielders rely on the attackers to press and run.”

Casteels also believes the guidance from Michel has been key to the club’s success so far this season and says that with the Spaniard at the helm, Qadsiah’s players believe that anything is possible.

“He is a very good coach tactically but also a very good people manager,” Casteels said. “He has a lot of experience and knows exactly what a team needs. He’s a guy who you can always go to talk to about something. He's very open-minded — like a father to us.

“This team fits well together and tactically I have to say every time when we followed the plan of the coach that we trained for in the week, we felt that we were at the right pace, even if we didn’t win. I can say that technically he was not wrong in any games — this is a great quality for any coach.”

 


Asian Glory for Al-Ahli with Champions League triumph

Updated 03 May 2025
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Asian Glory for Al-Ahli with Champions League triumph

  • It was a deserved win in front of 60,000 ecstatic fans at the King Abdullah Sport City Stadium
  • First half goals from Galeno, a beauty, and Franck Kessie did the damage

JEDDAH: Al-Ahli are the champions of Asia for the first time after a 2-0 victory over Kawasaki Frontale in Jeddah on Saturday.
It was a deserved win in front of 60,000 ecstatic fans at the King Abdullah Sport City Stadium as the green giants join local rivals Al-Ittihad as well as Al-Hilal in that exclusive club –Saudi Arabian champions of Asia.
First half goals from Galeno, a beauty, and Franck Kessie did the damage and once Al-Ahli were ahead, they never looked like letting the trophy slip after being runners-up in 1986 and 2012.


Roared on by the home fans who produced another stunning exhibition of tifos before kick-off and did not let the energy levels drop, the home team starting brightly. Ivan Toney turned smartly on the right corner of the penalty area in the fifth minute, and the England striker’s strong shot forced a flying save from Louis-Thebault Yamaguchi. Moments later, it was Ziyad Al-Johani in the air on the edge of the six-yard box and his shot was also blocked by the ‘keeper.
It was not all one-way traffic, and Marcinho’s shot from the left went just wide of the opposite post. It seemed to spur Al-Ahli on however and they kept pushing forward. Toney, Ibanez and Galeno all had shots though not enough to trouble the goalkeeper too much.
Al-Ahli were on top but just when it started to look like it could be a frustrating evening, Galeno produced a moment of magic. Receiving the ball from Roberto Firmino outside the area, the Brazilian winger, was given a little too much time and space but even so, few expected the outcome –a perfect shot curled into the top corner to repay a considerable slice of that transfer fee paid to FC Porto in January.

For the five-time Japanese champions it was then crucial that they did not concede again before the break but that is exactly what happened. Firmino crossed from the right and there was former AC Milan and Barcelona midfielder Kessie to head home from close range. Kawasaki were shellshocked and desperately trying to stay in the game and not fall even further behind.
Their best chance came just before the hour. A cross from the left went all the way to the far post and perhaps Sai van Wermeskerken should have done better with the header but it went high and wide.
Al-Ahli were able to sit back and then look to break and cause problems. Riyad Mahrez, with nine goals already in the tournament, shot just wide from the edge of the area but it was all looking too comfortable for the men in white.
Kawasaki could not create clear chances with only Tatsuya Ito, scorer of a stunner in that 3-2 semifinal win over Al-Nassr on Wednesday, causing a few nerves among the home ranks. He shot just wide from the edge of the area with 15 minutes remaining and then came closer soon after, making a little space for himself outside Toney on the right side of the area and firing just across the face of goal.
That was as good as it got. It was a professional performance from Al-Ahli who never looked like letting their two-goal lead slip. It was a deserved win on the night and also the tournament for the only unbeaten team throughout the group and knockout stages.
The celebrations at the final whistle may well have been heard in Riyadh but the message has certainly been sent loud and clear to the rest of Asia: Al-Ahli are the new champions of the world’s biggest continent and it looks like there is more to come.


INTERVIEW: Kawasaki Frontale’s Sai van Wermeskerken says pressure all on Al-Ahli in Champions League final

Updated 03 May 2025
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INTERVIEW: Kawasaki Frontale’s Sai van Wermeskerken says pressure all on Al-Ahli in Champions League final

  • First-time champions to be crowned in Saturday’s showdown

JEDDAH: Having ended the AFC Champions League Elite dreams of Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr in Wednesday’s semifinal, Kawasaki Frontale’s full-back Sai van Wermeskerken is now plotting another upset.

First-time champions of the ACL Elite will be crowned on Saturday when Kawasaki face Al-Ahli in the final — at the Jeddah club’s King Abdullah Sports City Stadium.

And although Al-Ahli are the favorites, Van Wermeskerken says he and his teammates are determined to take the trophy back to Japan.

Van Wermeskerken told Arab News in an exclusive interview ahead of the final: “The final is going to be such a special game.

“Al-Ahli is a really tough opponent but, after what we did in the semifinal, we know if we can play as a team we have a great chance to win this tournament.”

Van Wermeskerken, whose father is Dutch and mother is Japanese, left Eredivisie side NEC Nijmegen for Kawasaki Frontale last summer — ending an 11-year stay in the Netherlands.

With Japanese football stadiums noticeably less hostile than their European counterparts, the player has relished playing in front of animated crowds in Jeddah.

He said: “We were training beside the stadium when Al-Hilal played Gwangju (in the first quarterfinal) and could hear the noise. We were like ‘OK, these finals are going to be loud.’

“I have played in some incredible atmospheres in Europe — big games against Ajax, PSV and Feyenoord — and this was definitely comparable and I love these types of games. If you play well and the home fans boo, I find that very motivational.

“I know for some of my teammates it was a bit more difficult; this is not the normal atmosphere in Japan so it was a great learning experience for them. I think 5 percent of the stadium was our supporters and 95 percent against us.

“We know it will be the same against Al-Ahli, which makes it really tough of course. But because we survived the semifinal I think it will be much easier for us mentally in the final.”

Van Wermeskerken insists he has not felt overawed by the quality of opponents in the ACL Elite finals in Saudi Arabia. He helped to successfully shackle AFC Player of the Year Akram Afif in the quarterfinal victory over Al-Sadd, before keeping Cristiano Ronaldo at bay and marking Sadio Mane in the 3-2 last-four win over Al-Nassr.

Van Wermeskerken helped to successfully shackle AFC Player of the Year Akram Afif in the quarterfinal victory over Al-Sadd, before keeping Cristiano Ronaldo (pictured) at bay and marking Sadio Mane in the 3-2 last-four win over Al-Nassr. (AFP)

Goals from Tatsuya Ito, Yuto Ozeki and 38-year-old Kawasaki veteran Akihiro Ienaga handed Shigetoshi Hasebe’s team a famous triumph.

Van Wermeskerken said: “I felt emotional after the semifinal. It was really fun and one of the most enjoyable games in my career.

“If you’re playing football, of course those names like Ronaldo, who have already made so much history, are the players you always hope to play against. I loved the experience; I was not scared of facing Ronaldo or Mane — I respect them but also feel I have the confidence to stop them.”

The full-back will have to be at his best again in the final as he faces Al-Ahli’s twin wing threat of Galeno and Riyad Mahrez. The former has contributed three goals and three assists in his six ACL Elite games since arriving from FC Porto in January, while Mahrez is favorite to be named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player having scored nine and set up eight more in his 12 matches this season.

Van Wermeskerken said: “Mahrez is an amazing player, of course. My old teammate at PEC Zwolle, Oussama Darfalou, played for the Algeria national team with Mahrez and he texted me after we won the semifinal to say I’d better play my best.

“Of course, I know how good he is. Mahrez can change what he wants to do at the last moment — his movement is very unpredictable. He can find solutions from difficult situations. I prefer to face a player who just keeps dribbling against me, but I know Mahrez is creative and can come up with moments out of nowhere.”

Mahrez and teammate Roberto Firmino could become the first players to win the UEFA and AFC Champions League titles if Al-Ahli win on Saturday, but Van Wermeskerken has other ideas.

While he recognizes Kawasaki Frontale will be underdogs for the final, the Japanese defender insists that the pressure Al-Ahli feel as hosts could weigh heavily on Matthias Jaissle’s side.

He said: “We still have the feeling of the challenger, like we did against Al-Nassr, but we also have belief in our ability. I don’t know how Al-Ahli feel, but of course there is an inevitable pressure and expectation from the supporters.

“Al-Ahli had a really tough game against Al-Hilal and, honestly, we know we can win this final. For Kawasaki Frontale it is a chance at history — not just for one person, but for this whole club.

“It is the only trophy missing at this moment; the club has won everything else, and taking home this trophy is all that the players and coaches have been talking about since I joined. We believe we can do it.”


Mahrez calls on Al-Ahli to embrace opportunity in Asian Champions League final

Updated 02 May 2025
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Mahrez calls on Al-Ahli to embrace opportunity in Asian Champions League final

  • “When you play in this type of competition you are ready to win, especially when you play at home,” said Mahrez
  • “We have a good opportunity to bring the first Champions League to Al-Ahli”

JEDDAH: Al-Ahli winger Riyad Mahrez has called on his teammates to avoid complacency as the Saudi Pro League side look to win the Asian Champions League Elite title for the first time on Saturday with victory over Japan’s Kawasaki Frontale.
The Jeddah-based club, who have the advantage of playing the final in front of their own fans at the King Abdullah Sports City Stadium, will be making a third attempt to lift the trophy after final defeats in 1986 and 2012.
But while a squad boasting high-profile signings such as Mahrez, Roberto Firmino, Ivan Toney and Franck Kessie will go into the decider as favorites, the Algeria winger emphasized the need to embrace the opportunity provided by the occasion.


“When you play in this type of competition you are ready to win, especially when you play at home,” said Mahrez.
“We have a good opportunity to bring the first Champions League to Al-Ahli and we will give everything.
“Of course the opponent is not an opponent that we play every week, it’s from Japan and it’s a different team. We have seen them play and we know what approach we can have.
“The most important is to give everything and to enjoy it because maybe some people think finals are every season, but some people might only play one final in their career. So we have to give everything to win the trophy for Al-Ahli.”
Mahrez, 34, is no stranger to success, having been part of the Manchester City side that won the treble of UEFA Champions League, Premier League and FA Cup in 2023 as well as four other English league titles, including with Leicester City in 2016.
He was also a key part of Algeria’s Africa Cup of Nations success in 2019 but is looking to claim his first silverware since switching to Al-Ahli from City last year.
“This is a trophy in another continent, in Asia,” said Mahrez, who has scored nine times in the competition so far.
“I’ve been lucky enough to play in teams that have won a lot of trophies with big players. When you play, any trophy, any cup you play for is always exciting.
“I’m really looking forward to it. I really want to win a trophy with this team, this club and I’ll give everything tomorrow.”


AFC Champions League semifinal heartache for Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr

Updated 30 April 2025
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AFC Champions League semifinal heartache for Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr

  • Victory for the Riyadh side would have set up an all-Saudi final against Al-Ahli but they lose 3-2 to Kawasaki Frontale of Japan in Jeddah
  • Jhon Duran has chance to make it 3-3 from close range in the closing minutes but fails to make contact

JEDDAH: Despite the best efforts of Cristiano Ronaldo and his teammates, Al-Nassr lost 3-2 to Kawasaki Frontale in the semifinal of the AFC Champions League Elite in Jeddah on Wednesday, denying them the chance to take on Al-Ahli in an all-Saudi final on Saturday.
The Japanese side took the lead after just 10 minutes in spectacular fashion after Marcinho gained possession on the left side of the area and scooped a cross into the six-yard box. The ball was headed clear by Mohammed Simakan but only as far as Tatsuya Ito, who volleyed a delicious shot into the top corner of the net.
The goal came against run of play but Al-Nassr kept pushing and probing, and they were rewarded just two minutes before the half-hour mark. Sadio Mane cut in from the left side of the area and the shot from the former Liverpool and Bayern Munich star took a deflection as it bounced into the back of the net.
Al-Nassr continued to attack. Ronaldo headed against the woodwork and then, after 40 minutes, Jhon Duran’s fierce shot flew just wide of the post from a good position.
The Colombian was left to rue the miss when, four minutes before the break, Kawasaki restored their lead. A shot by Ito was saved by Bento but the ball bounced into the path of Yuto Ozeki, who fired home from just inside the area.
Kawasaki did not sit back in the second half and should have extended their lead but Brazilian forward Erison somehow failed to get on the end of a low cross with the goal at his mercy.
In the 76th minute he redeemed himself, however, as he skipped past Aymeric Laporte on the byline and squared the ball to Akihiro Ienaga, who tapped home from the closest of ranges to make it 3-1.
It seemed as if that would be that but with three minutes remaining Al-Nassr pulled a goal back when Ayman Yahya fired a shot into the top corner from outside the area.
Soon after, Duran had a chance to make it 3-3 from close range but failed to make contact at the crucial moment. There was still time after that for a Ronaldo free-kick to be saved by the legs of Louis Yamaguchi before the referee blew for full time.
Kawasaki will now face Al-Ahli in the final on Saturday, again at King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah.


Impressive Al-Ahli down Al-Hilal to move into Champions League Asian final

Updated 29 April 2025
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Impressive Al-Ahli down Al-Hilal to move into Champions League Asian final

  • Firmino, Toney, Al-Buraikan score in Greens’ 3-1 win
  • Jeddah club will face Al-Nassr or Kawasaki Frontale in Saturday’s final

JEDDAH: Al-Ahli beat Al-Hilal 3-1 on Tuesday to move into the final of the AFC Champions League Elite.
After an incident-filled semifinal showdown, the Jeddah club will face either Al-Nassr, another Riyadh giant, or Kawasaki Frontale of Japan in Saturday’s final, where one thing is for sure — there will be a new continental champion.
It was a deserved win for Al-Ahli who were on top for most of the 90-plus minutes in Jeddah. Now they prepare for their third Champions League final and in this form few would bet against them landing a first title.


Beating four-time winners Al-Hilal means that there is nothing to fear for Al-Ahli and it took just nine minutes for the fans to start celebrating. Galeno broke down the left, racing on to a fine pass and just about reached the ball before it went out of play. The Brazilian, signed in January from Porto, sent over a first-time cross for compatriot Roberto Firmino to sweep home from close range.
There were calls for offside but to the dismay of the Riyadh giants they were not upheld. There were more chances, such as Ivan Toney’s shot that went just wide after 18 minutes, as Al-Ahli continued to look the more dangerous.
Then, just before the half-hour, it was 2-0. Riyad Mahrez picked up the ball in a central position and slipped a perfect pass to the left side of the area. It was picked up by Toney who feinted past Yassine Bounou in goal and rolled the ball into an empty net.
For a while, that seemed to be that. The Greens were on top and heading into the final but Al-Hilal are not the most successful team in Saudi Arabia and Asia for nothing. This is a team, especially in continental competitions, that never knows when it is beaten.
Three minutes before the break, Salem Al-Dawsari, one of the best players in Asia, halved the deficit. For anyone who has watched Saudi Arabian football in recent years, it was a familiar goal. The ball bounced off a white-shirted defender and there was the 2022 Asian Player of the Year to pick up possession and sweep a low shot home for his 10th of the tournament. Al-Hilal were looking dangerous and just minutes before the break Malcom should have fired home at the far post to equalize from close range.
At halftime, it was anyone’s game but early in the second period, Toney saw two goals ruled out for offside.
Then, on the hour, a tough situation for Al-Hilal became a major problem. They were reduced to 10 men as Kalidou Koulibaly was red-carded for a second booking. Despite the Blues’ continental pedigree it was always going to be tough and while they poured forward in desperate search of the all-important equalizer, it was not to be. Al-Ahli continued to look the more dangerous and were denied by the woodwork on more than one occasion.
With five minutes remaining it should have been all over. Hamid Al-Yami was judged to have brought down Mahrez in the area. Up stepped Franck Kessie to seal the win but it was a tame shot from the Ivorian and was well saved by Bounou.
For once, Al-Hilal did not punish such a mistake. Eight minutes into added time, the victory — one of the most important in Al-Ahli’s history — was sealed thanks to substitute Firas Al-Buraikan.
It led to huge celebrations for many of the 50,000 crowd and the biggest prize in the world’s biggest continent is now just 90 minutes away.