Al-Ittihad sign Richard Rios on loan after Colombia midfielder’s remarkable rise

Al-Ittihad have signed Colombia midfielder Richard Rios from Benfica on loan until the end of the current season, with no option to buy included in the deal, according to reports.

The Saudi Arabian club announced the move early on Thursday, adding a player whose career has taken him from playing futsal barefoot in Colombia to starring for his country at Copa America and competing at the highest level in Brazil and Portugal.

Rios, 26, was born in Vegachi, Colombia, on 2 June 2000. He grew up in extremely difficult circumstances and initially looked towards sport as a possible way out. Football was the game he loved watching, but the intense competition made it difficult for him to progress through the traditional pathway.

Instead, he turned to futsal. Even there, the financial hardships surrounding his family meant he sometimes had to play matches barefoot.

Rios was unable to watch the 2012 Futsal World Cup in Thailand on television because of the conditions in which he was living. Yet futsal ultimately provided the route into professional football that he had not found as a child.

At the age of 18, in 2018, Rios travelled to Brazil with Colombia’s Under-20 futsal team for a friendly tournament. His performances attracted widespread attention and led Flamengo to invite him for a trial period before signing him.

That opportunity ended his futsal career, although the sport continues to influence his playing style.

“Most of what I do on the pitch comes from futsal, whether it is putting my foot on the ball, controlling it, keeping possession, dealing with one-on-one situations or playing two-touch football,” Rios previously told FIFA’s official website.

“I can think faster than others in tight spaces, and I think football involves a lot of that. These small battles may be the things you need to master to win a match.”

Flamengo promoted Rios to their first team in January 2021, before sending him on loan to Mexican club Mazatlan later that year. His time in Mexico was interrupted by the most serious setback of his career when a knee injury kept him out for seven months.

Searching for a fresh start at the beginning of the following season, Rios joined Guarani, who were competing in Brazil’s second tier and fighting to avoid relegation to the third division.

He helped Guarani stay up, while also attracting the attention of Palmeiras. The Sao Paulo club signed him in March 2023, beginning the most successful period of his career to that point.

Rios became an important player for Palmeiras and helped them win the Brazilian league title in 2023. In total, he made 138 appearances for the club, scoring 11 goals and providing 10 assists.

Those performances earned him his first Colombia call-up in October 2023. Less than a year later, he was a regular starter at Copa America 2024.

Rios played in all six of Colombia’s matches as they reached the final, where they lost 1-0 to Argentina after extra time. His involvement represented a dramatic change in fortunes: only 18 months earlier, he had been part of a Guarani side battling to survive in Brazil’s second division.

His technical ability and close control drew attention during the tournament, particularly in Colombia’s 5-0 quarter-final victory over Panama. Rios scored in that match, but it was his celebration that became especially recognisable.

He regularly performs the same dance after scoring for his clubs and country. The celebration became so popular that the Colombian city of Amalfi held a children’s dance competition named “Richard Rios”, with the prize going to the child who best copied the midfielder’s routine.

In summer 2025, Benfica signed Rios from Palmeiras for 16m euros, according to reports. During the previous season, he played 51 matches in all competitions for the Portuguese club, scoring eight goals and registering seven assists. He also helped Benfica win the domestic Super Cup.

Benfica have now agreed to loan him to Al-Ittihad during the current summer transfer window, but reportedly declined to include a purchase option because they want to bring him back at the end of the season.

Rios will be expected to strengthen Al-Ittihad’s midfield, particularly as the Saudi club lack players capable of providing the individual quality and technical spark he offers. The move comes amid a decline in the form of Algeria international Houssem Aouar.