Saudi right-back Saud Abdulhamid delivered one of the standout performances of the Ligue 1 weekend, scoring a crucial goal that ignited RC Lens’s remarkable comeback against Toulouse on Friday evening. The 26-year-old converted a cross with a powerful header in the 61st minute to make it 1-2 — a moment that swung the entire match in Lens’s favour and kept the northern French club’s unlikely title dream very much alive.
A Comeback for the Ages
Lens had been struggling, trailing 0-2 heading into the final half hour of their home fixture in Round 30 of the French top flight. The atmosphere inside the Bollaert-Delelis Stadium had turned anxious when Abdulhamid pounced, dispatching a cross to the back of the net and sending the crowd into a frenzy. The Saudi defender’s header was his second Ligue 1 goal of the season and third overall, having also found the net in the Coupe de France earlier in the campaign.
The Title Race Heats Up
The momentum that followed was unstoppable. Lens equalised in the 67th minute, and with seconds remaining, snatched the winner in the 90+1st minute to complete a stunning 3-2 victory. The three points lift Lens to second place in the Ligue 1 standings with 62 points, sitting just one point behind Paris Saint-Germain — though PSG have played two fewer matches.
Despite the odds, Lens remain in contention, and a pivotal encounter between the two sides is scheduled for May 13. If the northern club are to pull off one of French football’s great upsets, moments like Abdulhamid’s headed goal will be what fans remember.
Saudi Arabia’s Pioneer in France
Saud Abdulhamid joined Lens on a one-year loan from AS Roma in August 2025, with an option to buy. He holds the distinction of being the first Saudi Arabian player ever to compete in Ligue 1, a milestone that has not gone unnoticed at home. His consistent performances — combining disciplined defending with an ability to contribute going forward — have made him a genuine asset in a squad challenging at the very top of the French game.
Born in Jeddah, Abdulhamid has accumulated 53 international caps for Saudi Arabia, bringing the kind of experience and maturity that has served Lens well in the second half of a demanding season.
