Al Hammami: Al Shabab's stellar young talent honed at Al Kholood | OneFootball

Ben Harburg, the new owner of Al Kholood, has said he wants the Ar Rass club to be a hotbed for developing Saudi talent.

While that forms a future ambition, it’s a player that the club helped hone last season that will reacquaint himself with his recent former employers this weekend. Hammam Al Hammami, 21, has been a name on the lips of talent scouts across the Kingdom for a few years now.

Having begun his junior career with the West Ham Foundation, the precocious winger was fast-tracked into Saudi Arabian Football Federation's Future Falcons program, an initiative aimed at nurturing and developing the next generation of football superstars.

From there, Al Hammami spent time at Czechia giants Slavia Prague, before returning to his homeland with Al Ittihad for the 2023-24 season. After impressing in the youth ranks, he made his Roshn Saudi League debut on April 1 last year - in the Sea Derby, of all fixtures - aged 20.

This was no April Fool’s joke, though. Al Hammami impressed enough to earn two further appearances in the following weeks against Al Taawoun and Al Hazem, a youngster with obvious ability taking the first real-but-tentative steps in his professional career.

But it was last season, spent on loan at Al Kholood, where he really excelled and started to deliver on the promise shown through his formative years.

Al Hammami made an instant impact for the RSL debutants, scoring on his own bow, against then-champions Al Hilal, albeit in a 4-2 defeat. Despite that, he had underlined his promise, initially to Paulo Duarte who handed him his debut, and then replacement manager Noureddine Ben Zekri.

The Algerian entrusted Al Hammami, who turned 21 last January, with a starting berth in a side that was battling to stave off relegation. Much to his credit, Al Hammami rewarded his head coach with four goals and three assists, including a brace in a crucial 3-2 win against Al Riyadh in February.

Not only were they performances that excited his coaches, but they also impressed his captain, none other than Nigeria skipper William Troost-Ekong.

“I’ve been very excited about Hammam Al Hammami,” Troost-Ekong said in a sit-down interview with the SPL late last term. "I didn’t know about him before, but he joined a few weeks after me on loan from Al Ittihad and he’s a great prospect.“He’s been one really to watch. He’s made a great contribution for us this season, and he is one that I will tip to be a star of the future.”

For sure, that's a strong endorsement from a player that is not only captain of his country but has also played in some of the biggest leagues in the world, such as England’s Premier League and the Italian Serie A.

So, if there’s someone who can spot a talent, it’s the hugely experienced Troost-Ekong, who no doubt would have taken the youngster somewhat under his wing and imparted as much of his knowledge and experience as he could.

And, undeniably, it paid off: Al Hammami made 32 appearances in the RSL as Al Kholood defied the odds to finish a brilliant ninth in the table. Al Hammami, meanwhile, was shortlisted for the 2024-25 RSL's Young Player of the Year.

But, having had him only on loan last season, it was Al Shabab that pounced in the summer to sign him on a new two-year deal, where he will now work under renowned Spanish coach Imanol Alguacil.

Also, Al Hammami will be playing alongside established stars such Yannick Carrasco, Josh Brownhill, Vincent Sierro, Yacine Adli and Abderrazak Hamdallah. Talk about a football education.

And now, only three games into his career in the capital, Al Hammami comes face-to-face with the club that gave him that first sustained taste of RSL football, when Al Kholood travel to Riyadh to face Al Shabab in Matchweek 4.

A silky winger, diminutive in size but with dazzling feet, when afforded the space Al Hammami can terrorise defences; just ask Al Nassr, who were on the receiving end of some of that wizardry last season.

Yet, after helping develop a significant talent, Al Kholood will be hoping Al Hammami doesn’t come back to bite them in Thursday night's second fixture. For then, at Al Shabab Stadium, friends become competitive foes.