Salman Al-Faraj’s Electrifying Comeback: A 415-Day Return That Shook the Roshn Saudi League
25 December 2025
Salman Al-Faraj Returns to Official Action in the Roshn Saudi League
One of Saudi football's stars marked his first official comeback after a long layoff caused by a cruciate ligament injury that struck him late last year.
The player is Salman Al-Faraj, Saudi national team captain and Neom's emblem, who appeared in his first official match since the injury during a 2-1 victory over Al-Najma in the Roshn Saudi League's tenth round today, Thursday.
Al-Faraj came on as a stoppage-time substitute in the sixth minute of added time, logging his first competitive appearance after a 415-day spell, with his last outing coming for the team facing Al-Jabalain in the first division back on November 5, 2024.
Shortly after, he suffered another cruciate ligament injury during a national-team camp under Hervé Renard, who is steering the Green for a second spell.
Since then, Al-Faraj had not featured in any official game, until today, when he returned and could again be considered for the national squad, provided he regains top form.
Widely regarded as one of the best local midfielders of the past decade, his blend of skill and a trophy-laden stint with Al-Hilal underscored why expectations are high.
Punchline 1: He came back so fast the ACL filed a restraining order against the calendar.
Punchline 2: If patience were a sport, he’d win gold—his comeback timeline makes a calendar look slow.
