Ronaldo, Toney, Benzema et al: the 2024-25 RSL Master Marksman | OneFootball

The Roshn Saudi League is home to no shortage of amazing frontmen, headlined by the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema.

The former Real Madrid teammates, captains now at Al Nassr and Al Ittihad respectively, each had a major say in the competition last season, with Benzema firing the Jeddah club to the RSL title and Ronaldo keeping his stranglehold on the league’s golden boot.

With that in mind, here’s how the five top goalscorers of the 2024-25 RSL got into that elite bracket, with the game’s widely recognised GOAT ultimately heading the individual charts once more.

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Cristiano Ronaldo – 25 goals, 30 appearances

The evergreen Portuguese superstar came into the campaign intent on retaining the golden boot he secured in 2023-24 in record-breaking style – and did just that thanks to 25 goals in 30 RSL appearances.

Ronaldo began his onslaught right from Matchweek 1, scoring in the 1-1 draw at home to Al Raed. His season’s haul then included doubles against Damac, Al Khaleej and Al Riyadh, with the most notable brace coming in the 3-1 win in the Capital Derby victory at Al Hilal in Matchweek 26.

Tellingly, the supplied Al Nassr’s first league win against their local rivals in more than three years.

However, the goal that got everybody talking – well, more than usual when the irrepressible Ronaldo’s concerned – was the spectacular volley at home to Al Riyadh the following matchweek. It’s proof (as if needed) that the five-time Ballon d’Or remains in a class of his own.

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Ivan Toney – 23 goals, 30 apps

Where Ronaldo was contesting his second full season in the RSL, the Al Ahli striker was debuting following a late-summer move from the English Premier League.

It didn’t take Toney too long to get off the mark, thanks to a double in his second RSL appearance that helped his new side to a 4-2 win at home to Damac.

And while the former Brentford frontman found the net only twice in his next 11 league outings, he hit the most purple of patches from January onwards.

Getting back among the goals in the 5-0 victory against Al Riyadh in Matchweek 17, Toney then notched in six on the bounce in the RSL – a sequence that read 12 goals in seven appearances. The highlight? Undoubtedly the hat-trick that secured a 3-2 triumph at Al Hilal in Matchweek 23.

Toney ended his first campaign in the Kingdom by scoring in the final three rounds and, when married to a lead role in Al Ahli’s historic Asian Champions League Elite success, earned him a recall to the England team.

Karim Benzema – 21 goals, 29 apps

Well, the 2024-25 season’s standout just about did everything he could other than pick up the golden boot. Having endured an opening campaign in the RSL that fell below his incredibly lofty standards, the Al Ittihad captain set out at the beginning of last season to put that straight.

He did just that, contributing more than anyone to the Jeddah club’s superb title march. Benzema, like Ronaldo a former Ballon d’Or, led both on and off the pitch, but where it truly mattered, he was a dazzling and dependable goalscorer.

And, similar to Toney, Benzema opened his account in Matchweek 2, with the equaliser that propelled Al Ittihad to an injury-time win against Al Taawoun.

It sparked a run of 16 goals in 17 RSL games, including seven on the trot and headlined by a hat-trick in the Old Derby with Al Wehda and a goal in the 4-1 Saudi Clasico win against title rivals Al Hilal.

And, while the top-scorer award may have eluded him, Benzema collected a league winner’s medal and the prize for the 2024-25 RSL’s Best Player.

Abderrazak Hamdallah – 21 goals, 26 app

Benzema’s teammate the previous season, the bona-fide RSL legend made the switch across the Kingdom last summer, joining Al Shabab from Al Ittihad. However, Hamdallah did take a little while to get going for his new team, if only because he missed the opening two rounds through injury.

Still, he converted a penalty in his second appearance of the 2024-25 RSL to get the balling rolling, then rather scored in batches of games: from Matchweek 17-19 in particular, the Moroccan registered six goals, including a hat-trick against Al Khaleej.

Al Shabab striker Abderrazak Hamdallah scores v Al Ahli

Hamdallah captured another match-ball in Matchweek 25 at home to Al Orobah – and against all-time RSL goal rival Omar Al Somah – and bagged a brace six rounds later for Al Shabab to see off high-flying Al Ahli.

A three-time winner of the golden boot, he was actually sent off in that encounter, which somewhat stymied his bid for a fourth goal gong. In fact, Hamdallah missed three of the final six rounds.

Julian Quinones – 20 goals, 28 apps

One of a number of exciting signings by promoted club Al Qadsiah, the Mexico international still went under the radar ever so slightly given Real Madrid great Nacho and European football luminary Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang had arrived in Al Khobar, too.

Not to be overshadowed, Quinones immediately went about making a name for himself in the RSL, netting twice in his very first outing in the opening day, 3-0 home win against Al Fateh.

After a perhaps-surprisingly, six-round barren spell impacted by a red card against Al Okhdood, Quinones got back on track with eight goals in his next eight league appearances.

The headline contributions included striking in Al Qadsiah’s 2-0 Eastern Derby win at Al Ettifaq and in their 2-1 triumph at Al Nassr – one of the results of the season.

By the conclusion of the campaign, and with Al Qadsiah finishing a fantastic fourth, Quinones could hold his head high - and with the implication that there is much more to come.