Benzema back-up: Meite wonder goal shows much to come from teen talent | OneFootball

Mohamed Meite has had to bide his time since arriving at Al Hilal in the winter transfer window at the beginning of February.

Coming into a squad packed with striking talent in Karim Benzema, Darwin Nunez and Marcos Leonardo, and still only 18 years old, the former Rennes forward was always going to have to wait for his moment.

And, while Meite debuted in the Roshn Saudi League in the high-profile Matchweek 20 encounter with title rivals Al Ahli and then came on for the final minute in the win 11 days later against Al Ettifaq, he hadn’t featured in the top flight since mid-February. His time on the RSL pitch totalled 15 minutes.

However, that changed last Saturday, with Meite handed his first start by Simone Inzaghi for title-chasing Al Hilal’s clash with fifth-placed Al Taawoun.

Of course, the result was far from ideal for the 2023-24 RSL champions’ championship challenge, with Al Hilal dropping points in a 2-2 draw. Yet the performance of Meite had everyone talking - especially about his stunning opening goal moments before half-time.

With the score at Kingdom Arena locked at 0-0 and the interval fast approaching, initially Meite appeared to be backed into a spot near the corner flag.

But he displayed both his power and potential with a deft touch to turn his opponent, explode into the penalty area, and then lash home a powerful shot underneath a helpless Mailson in the Al Taawoun goal. In a flash, and thanks to Meite’s magic, Al Hilal had their lead.

Mohamed Meite opens his Al Hilal account with a sublime solo effort v Al Taawoun

It was a breathtaking moment that underscored the raw potential of a player that, only a matter of months ago, was understood to have some of the most prominent clubs in world football queuing up to sign him. Those reportedly included Manchester United, Chelsea and European champions Paris Saint-Germain.

Still, Al Hilal’s acquisition of the prodigiously talented teenager almost slipped under the radar amid the headline-grabbing transfer of Benzema from champions Al Ittihad. That said, just as the Ballon d’Or winner’s recruitment was significant, so too was that of the French-born Ivorian - albeit for many different reasons.

Having been so coveted, Meite's decision to choose Al Hilal as the best place to develop his game, and hopefully carry him to the next level, represented another sizeable step in the RSL’s evolution on the international scene.

In moving to Saudi Arabia, he joined a growing list of starlets looking to the Kingdom to further their careers.

That group includes Valentin Atangana and Enzo Millot at Al Ahli, Al Ittihad pair Roger Fernandes and George Ilenikhena, Rayane Messi and Nathan Zeze at NEOM Sports Club, and another winter addition at Al Hilal, rising French star Saimon Bouabre.

A number of those are current international teammates with the France Under-21 national team and, even if Meite recently declared his intention to represent Cote d’Ivoire, last year he was part of that side in qualification for the 2027 UEFA U21 Championships. The squad also featured Bouabre, Zeze and Atangana.

Like his former international teammates, Meite viewed the early opportunity in the RSL too good to turn down. For a young striker wanting to develop, there are few better places to do that at present than Al Hilal; there, he trains alongside one of the greatest strikers of the modern era, in Benzema.

Every day is a school day for Meite, the youngster able to pick the brain and learn from one of the best to do it. How it will improve his game is impossible to quantify, but there’s no doubt working daily with Benzema will make Meite a better player and, for sure, a more refined frontman.

Meite has himself suggested as much.

“I observe his movements, his technique,” he told French media recently about time spent with Benzema. “He always makes the right move at the right time.

“He gives me advice, tells me about his journey at [age] 18. He pushes me in training, especially on positioning and vision of the game.”

No doubt, Meite’s goal and overall performance against Al Taawoun will give him a considerable confidence boost heading into the business end of the 2025-26 season.

Opportunities should open, given Al Hilal not only battle fitness concerns to some of their star strikers, but also fight on two fronts, with the conclusion of the AFC Champions League Elite this month as well. Their continental campaign resumes next week at the last-16 stage, where they face Qatar’s Al Sadd in Jeddah.

Having presumably earned Inzaghi’s trust, Meite could feature more prominently than originally expected. In that, what will also please his notoriously demanding Italian manager is his attitude.

Justifiably pleased with getting off the mark at Al Hilal - Meite’s effort against Al Taawoun was overwhelmingly voted BSF Goal of the Week, earning 67 percent of the 20,000 votes - his comments after the draw reflect a player driven to succeed; a non-negotiable for anyone who pulls on an Al Hilal shirt.

“I'm very happy to score my first goal,” Meite said. “I wanted that from the beginning, [but] then we played this bad match that changes the mood a little bit. But I'm very happy.

“We're going back to work, and we're going to attack hard next week to get the three points.”

If the goal didn’t endear Meite mightily to the Al Hilal faithful, that outlook certainly will.