Jehad Thikri: fast-rising Saudi at Al Qadsiah learning from Nacho's nous | OneFootball

When you’re a young defender entering your first season in the Roshn Saudi League and looking for a guiding hand, there are few better to learn from than Nacho.

The 35-year-old Spaniard has had a career that would make most players envious. Born in Madrid, he was a product of the Real Madrid academy, before going on to play more than 360 games across 14 seasons for Los Blancos.

During that spell he not only captained the club, but walked away with a trophy haul bigger than some clubs. The roll of honour includes four La Liga titles, six UEFA Champions League crowns, three UEFA Super Cups and five FIFA Club World Cups.

At national team level, Nacho was capped 29 times by Spain, a number that is perhaps lower than you would expect for a player of his repertoire and repute.

But even with La Roja there was success, with the UEFA Nations League title in 2022-23, preceding perhaps the crowning achievement. Last summer, weeks out from his move to RSL new boys Al Qadsiah, Nacho captured the UEFA European Championships in Germany.

Given the career thus far, it’s safe to say there’s nothing the centre-back doesn’t know about defending, and no circumstance he hasn’t experienced. As such, it makes Nacho the perfect teammate from which to learn; he’s not just an on-field leader, but an off-field one, too.

One to benefit most from that know-how is 23-year-old defender Jehad Thikri. The Al Khobar native, with a distinctive mop of dreadlocked hair, came up through the Al Qadsiah academy, last season playing an important role in helping the club secure promotion from the Saudi First Division League.

While there were signs of his promise, enough to earn a Saudi Arabia call-up for the 2024 AFC U23 Asian Cup, Thikri was still largely unknown and untested at this level.

It’s one thing to impress at the lower levels, but how would he fare against RSL attacks featuring Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema and Aleksandar Mitrovic?

Playing on the right side of a back three, alongside the centrally based Nacho and fellow summer recruit Gaston Alvarez, who operates on the left, the answer has been clear: extremely well.

Appearing in 22 of Al Qadsiah’s 25 league matches this season as the club have made a late tilt for the title, Thikri’s growth alongside Nacho has been clear to see.

Thikri ranks second at Al Qadsiah for clearances, behind only Nacho, and fourth for passes, with his two other defensive partners also in the top four; an illustration of how crucial the three-man defence is to the system and style under manager Michel.

Not only is it important, it’s also stunningly effective: Al Qadsiah boast the best defensive record in the 2024-25 RSL having conceded 21 goals this season.

Such has been Thikri’s impressive form, he earned his first senior national team call-up for the Green Falcons in the recently concluded international window for crunch 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against China and Japan.

If that wasn’t enough, Saudi Arabia manager Herve Renard entrusted Thikri with his international debut in the high-stakes away clash in the cauldron that is Saitama Stadium against runaway Group C leaders, Japan. Such an occasion might overawe some, but not Thikri.

It was a brave call from Renard to throw the fresh inclusion into the lion’s den, but as Thikri has done repeatedly at club level, his performance against the Samurai Blue displayed why those around him rate him so highly.

In a game in which the home side dominated possession and territory, Thikri’s performance stood out for how at home he looked at elite international level.

He won all three of his ground duels, plus had one block, two clearances and three recoveries as Saudi Arabia held out for a goalless draw – and a precious point on the Road to 2026.

In a sign of the burgeoning relationship between Nacho and Thikri, the Spaniard commented on a social media post confirming the latter’s debut with “Jehad” followed by three fire emojis. Patently, he was taking great pride in the milestone for his club teammate.

Further, in a video for the RSL earlier this season, Nacho was asked to name players that matched a certain description. Best goalscorer? Cristiano Ronaldo. Best skills? Lionel Messi.

He was then asked to name a player with the most potential. After thinking it over for a second, the hugely decorated defender answered: “My teammate, Jehad.”

Thikri’s rapid development owes plenty to the arrival at Al Qadsiah of Nacho and speaks to the value these veterans bring. They are not simply able to contribute on the pitch, but have a material, and lasting, impact on those around them.

Thikri, a player already with significant potential, is one of the latest to benefit from the RSL’s continued development.

At fourth in the league ahead of this weekend’s Eastern Derby against Al Ettifaq, Al Qadsiah are still in the hunt for silverware this season and seem set to be in the mix in future seasons as well.

However, as Thikri’s rise this campaign has conveyed, Nacho’s greatest legacy at Al Qadsiah might come not with his exploits on the pitch, but his leadership and guidance off it.