Ali Al-Bulayhi's Fresh Start: Al-Shabab Secures a Key Saudi Defender on Loan
1 February 2026
Move to Al-Shabab seals a new chapter for Ali Al-Bulayhi
The Saudi international defender Ali Al-Bulayhi has departed Al-Hilal and joined Al-Shabab on a six-month loan, announced on Sunday evening.
Al-Bulayhi had fallen out of coach Simone Inzaghi’s plans, with a backline featuring Hassan Tambeckt and Ali Lajami, plus Kalidou Koulibaly and the recent addition Pablo Mari, which limited his minutes this season.
Al-Shabab confirmed the signing on X after agreeing all terms.
What this means for Bulayhi and the national team
The loan is intended to provide regular game time and help him re-establish himself with the Saudi national team ahead of the 2026 World Cup.
Bulayhi has been a mainstay at Hilal since arriving in 2017 from Al-Fath, contributing to numerous domestic and continental titles, though his involvement diminished this season for technical reasons.
Humor aside, this move puts Bulayhi in a fresh environment where he can showcase leadership at the back and keep the national team on the radar. If defense could talk, Bulayhi would be the wall with personality—the kind of wall that occasionally demands a better door.
Punchline 1: If defense could talk, Bulayhi would say, “Hold my back line—this loan starts now.”
Punchline 2: And if football is a game of inches, Bulayhi just upgraded to a game of kilometers—distance from bench to pitch could be measured in glory.
