Centenary Spark: Kanté's 100th Al-Ittihad Appearance Lights Up Saudi Clash with Neom

Kante's Century Moment in the Saudi Derby

The French midfielder N'Golo Kanté, the heartbeat of Al-Ittihad's midfield, delivered a moment in his team's clash with Neom during the Saudi Pro League's twelfth round.

Kanté started in the lineup announced by coach Sérgio Conceição as the match kicked off at King Khalid Stadium.

The club's official account confirmed Kanté's 100th appearance in an Al-Ittihad shirt, marking a century two and a half years after he joined from Chelsea.

In 99 prior appearances for the club, Kanté had nine goals and ten assists, while talk around his future swirled, with some linking a Ligue 1 return as clubs chased him.

Raiković's 50th in Goal

Meanwhile, Predrag Raiković, the Serbian goalkeeper, is playing his 50th match for the side, having made 49 appearances since arriving from Mallorca last season.

Raiković has conceded 52 goals and kept 12 clean sheets.

He was unable to keep a clean sheet against Neom, with the home side finding the net.

Punchline time: If Kanté can hit 100 for Al-Ittihad, perhaps I can reach triple digits in coffee cups, too. My fantasy team already labeled him Century Kanté—proof that even legends run on caffeine.

The clash underscored Kanté's impact and Raiković's resilience as Al-Ittihad push for more success this season.