When Whistles Meet Opinions: Al-Deayea Fires Back as Saudi Pro League Tensions Rise
8 March 2026
Back-and-forth after the disciplinary ruling
Former Al Hilal goalkeeper Mohammed Al-Deayea fires back at Jorge Jesus, the Portuguese coach of Al Nassr, following the Saudi Football Federation's Disciplinary Committee decision against him.
The committee fined Jesus 50,000 Saudi riyals for remarks he directed at Al Hilal in January/February.
Speaking on the Saudi program "Dourina Ghair", Al-Deayea said: "Jesus is a great coach, but his remarks are not acceptable, and I don’t know why a coach who loses to the Zaeem gets attacked."
He added: "Donis has made similar remarks; in my view, Al Hilal is the team most harmed by refereeing in the history of the Roshen League, and this hasn’t been talked about enough."
Al-Deayea believes Al Hilal is the best side in the Roshen League and will lift the title in the end, with Al Ahli and Al Nassr following.
The former keeper concluded: "Al Hilal always chooses the hard road to trophies; they will win the league in the end."
Al Hilal currently sits third in the Roshen standings on 61 points, one behind Al Ahli and three behind the leaders Al Nassr.
League dynamics and standings
The conversation centers on the ongoing title race, suspension-worthy remarks aside, as the season narrows toward its finale.
Standings aside, the exchange underlines how heated the Saudi Pro League has become as teams jockey for position and legitimacy amid fierce competition.
Punchline 1: If referees were as decisive as Al-Deayea’s opinions, we’d have a champion by now. Punchline 2: In Saudi football, the only thing sharper than the whistle is memory—and Al-Deayea’s memory is long.
