A window into the past: the first Saudi Arabian football sheikh was Brazilian Rivelino

The whole of Saudi Arabia is on its feet, going through a football frenzy. The Portuguese striker Cristiano Rolando, a phenomenon of recent years, is heading to Al Nassr from the capital Riyadh. He has become an instant celebrity, the sheikh of the football turf. But he had a great predecessor. In 1979, the famous Brazilian midfielder Roberto Rivelino, the 1970 world champion, graced rival Al Hilal.

The Sao Paolo native, who played for the local famous club Corinthians between 1965 and 1974, ended his contract with Fluminense Rio de Janeiro at the end of 1978 and moved to Saudi Arabia to join Al Hilal in January 1979 at the age of thirty-three.

The club snapped up the most important name in its history to date (founded 1957), the 1970 World Cup champion, midfielder of the mythical Pelé, a member of the Mexico championship team, a participant in the 1974 World Cup (fourth place) and the 1978 World Cup (bronze), famous for his sharp shooting from long range.

The popular Rivo, as his nickname was, recalled how he asked Prince Kaled, the club’s top official, for a German Mercedes car as a signing bonus. He didn’t understand the Sheikh’s amused face.

“For members of the royal family, it was the people’s car, like a bug for Europeans,” Rivelino recalled in an interview with the Folha de São Paulo newspaper, referring to the popular Volkswagen Type 1 car designed for the lower middle class.

Although he had little trouble adapting to the dry climate, the Brazilian star quickly became a crowd favourite. Thanks in part to a brilliant partnership with Tunisian striker Néjib Limam.

Also a participant in the 1978 World Cup in Argentina, he helped the team win two consecutive Saudi championships in 1979 and 1980. He also won the Saudi Arabian Cup during his three years at the club. He appeared in 57 matches and scored 23 goals.

He left the club in 1981 because he had a disagreement with Prince Kaled, as he originally intended to play until he was 42. Rivelino became one of the club’s greatest ever idols, a position he retains to this day.

Since his era, Al Hilal has developed into Saudi Arabia’s most famous and successful club. Now, rival Al Nassr wants to unseat him from that position, having engaged Cristiano Ronaldo.

Source: Folha de São Paulo