Feras Al Buraikan's rise: From Al Fateh's savior to Al Ahli's striking star, the Saudi forward returns to face his former club in a fixture filled with destiny and emotion.
Feras Al Buraikan’s final act as an Al Fateh player came against the club he was soon to join.
At the time, the Saudi Arabian forward was the lead striker for Slaven Bilic’s side, playing a crucial role in one of the major upsets of the early 2023-24 Roshn Saudi League season, when Al Fateh defeated a star-studded Al Ahli at home.
Al Buraikan scored a 21st-minute penalty at Al Fateh Club Stadium to neutralize Abbas Al Hassan’s own goal, and then assisted Lucas Zelarayan to give the hosts a 2-1 lead. Ultimately, a series of late goals led to a surprising result: Al Fateh triumphed 5-1 against one of the title contenders.
Al Fateh striker Feras Al Buraikan joins Al Ahli! #yallaRSL #RoshnSaudiLeague https://t.co/gMVmbgFj4m
Almost 12 months later, in the opening fixture of 2024-25 RSL Matchweek 2, Al Ahli make the trip once again to Al Fateh, marking a homecoming of sorts for a frontman who owes a lot to his former employers. Al Buraikan returns to the club that helped him rise to his current status: reigning as the RSL’s most reliable Saudi goalscorer and a key player for the Kingdom’s national team.
As Al Buraikan would surely admit, Al Fateh rejuvenated a burgeoning career that had stalled. Having come through Al Nassr’s youth system, the Riyadh-born footballer scored on his professional debut for the Riyadh giants. At 17 years and 333 days, he became the second-youngest scorer in RSL history. However, despite his remarkable start, he struggled for playing time. In three seasons with Al Nassr’s first team, Al Buraikan made only 25 league appearances, overshadowed by players like Abderrazak Hamdallah.
Feras Al Buraikan was prolific at Al Fateh #yallaRSL #RoshnSaudiLeague pic.twitter.com/VirIQArFMX
Al Buraikan achieved the same honor the following season. This time, he netted 17 goals in 30 RSL appearances, with his reputation growing steadily. He had already gained attention that summer, as he played a key role in Saudi Arabia’s triumph in the 2022 AFC U23 Asian Cup. He scored in the quarter-final win against Vietnam and added another goal in the 2-0 victory against hosts Uzbekistan in the final.
Just six months later, Al Buraikan was part of Herve Renard’s senior team at the 2022 FIFA World Cup. He started all three Group C matches in Qatar, providing the assist for Saleh Al Shehri’s equalizer in the historic win over Argentina, the eventual champions. Since then, Al Buraikan has become a regular for the national team under current manager Roberto Mancini, scoring three goals in three 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.
His international success has been driven by his domestic performances. Last season, even with Roberto Firmino, Riyad Mahrez, and Allan Saint-Maximin in the Al Ahli attack, Al Buraikan scored nearly a goal every two RSL games, ending the campaign with 17 goals in 32 matches (four of which were with Al Fateh). Once again, he was the competition’s top Saudi scorer. Overall, only four players throughout the league scored more.
Now 24, Al Buraikan returns to Al Fateh on Tuesday with a stature and recognition built during those transformative two-and-a-half seasons with the club. This reunion could be emotional and might further showcase a striker known for his 'guitar' celebration who has truly found his rhythm.
Regardless of competitive commitments, Al Buraikan is sure to look around Al Ahsa and reflect on the solid foundation laid during his time at Al Fateh.
