Morad Khodari: Al Ahli youth product flying family name at Al Wehda | OneFootball

There’s been precious little to write home about for Al Wehda this season, with only two wins in their first 11 Roshn Saudi League matches, the second of which came on Saturday, against Al Taawoun.

They came into the campaign having left their business relatively late in the summer, meaning their armada of off-season signings could be registered only after their opening game.

From there, a struggling Al Wehda have conspired to rack up the worst defensive record in the league having conceded 27 so far. And, only this week, they announced a change of manager, with former coach Jose Daniel Carreno returning to replace German Josef Zinnbauer. The going, for the club from Mecca, has been a little tough, to say the least.

However, a flicker of light among the darkness has been the form of 21-year-old Morad Khodari following his switch from Al Ahli in the summer. Before then, the youngster had barely played 20 minutes of football in the RSL, all coming on loan at Al Okhdood last season, although his has been a star on the rise for several now.

And, while Khodari has been limited to the role of “super sub” off the Al Wehda bench this term, with all eight of his appearances coming as a substitute, it’s a role he appears to have perfected.

Despite seeing only 152 minutes of playing time, the Saudi youth international is Al Wehda’s leading goal-scorer so far in the 2024-25 RSL, with three. That places him above the likes of Nigerian star Odion Ighalo, Australian international Craig Goodwin and emerging Iraqi starlet Youssef Amyn. The trio all have two.

It’s an impressive start to life at Al Wehda, with Khodari clearly comfortable having returned to Mecca where his family, of Syrian descent, had settled a few generations ago.

His connection to Al Wehda, though, goes far beyond simply pulling on their famous red kit this season; Al Wehda is in the Khodari blood. His grandfathers were among the group of official founders of the club during the 1940s, when they assumed the name Al Wehda, even though some historians claim their foundation goes even further back to 1916.

One of those grandfathers was also a well-known street vendor, selling sobia, a traditional Hejazi refreshment made from barley, flour, dry bread and sugar. It is sold especially during the holy month of Ramadan.

Indeed, so popular did his variety of the refreshment become that the family built a large and successful business on the back of it. Morad’s father, Mohammed, meanwhile, played for Al Wehda during the 1990s, underlining his deep link to the city and the club. Despite that, however, Morad and his twin brother, Adel, began their football journey an hour down the road in Jeddah, at Al Ahli.

Rising through the youth ranks, the siblings impressed, playing together as Al Ahli’s under-19 side won the U19 Premier League title in 2022-23. Morad was a standout across the entire season, even drawing praise from former Al Wehda and Al Ahli great Kamel Al Mousa. The former national team defender described Khodari as a “strong character” and one he was keeping an eye on to watch how he developed.

Also, Khodari finished that season as Al Wehda’s leading scorer as they sealed the championship on the final day with a 1-1 draw with Jeddah rivals, Al Ittihad. Fittingly, his goal sealed the point that secured the title.

Throughout that campaign, Khodari’s potential caught the eye of first-team coach, Pitso Mosimane, who handed the teenager his senior debut in the 2022-23 Saudi First Division League as Al Ahli chased promotion back to the RSL after their shock relegation the season prior. Previous to that, they had never fallen out of the top flight.

Khodari’s first-team debut came in December 2022, as a substitute against Al Arabi in a 0-0 draw, the forward getting a few minutes late in the game as Al Ahli chased a winner. A week later, he came off the bench again, this time just after the hour mark against Al Shoulla. Then, little more than five minutes later, he had his first senior goal to give the Jeddah side a two-goal lead and an important three points.

Khodari scored again in early March against Najran as his star began to shine bright, with Mosimane taking a particular liking to his talent. Although the legendary African coach departed the club having returned them to the RSL at the first time of asking, he shared a special message with Khodari on social media.

“Love you, my boy. You proved my decision right to promote you from the Reserve League and you rewarded me with your commitment and scored goals with limited playing time. Your future is bright.”

Given Khodari’s contribution this season, that rings true. While the arrival in the summer of 2023 of an influx of international stars meant playing time was further limited at Al Ahli, the opportunity to come back to Mecca with Al Wehda has only served to remind everyone of the special talent Khodari possesses.

Naming Syrian great, and RSL all-time leading scorer Omar Al Somah as his idol - even going so far as to mimic his goal celebration, to the approval of the Syrian striker himself - he is now following in his father’s footsteps. Considering the extended family lineage, Khodari is for sure continuing the legacy of the famous name at the club his ancestors helped create.