Morocco goalie Yassine Bounou wins Best Save Award in Saudi League opener

Moroccan international goalkeeper Yassine Bounou has kicked off the new Saudi Professional League season on a high note, earning the award for Best Save in the opening round of fixtures.

The league announced on Monday that the Al Hilal shot-stopper won the accolade following a fan vote, edging past Senegal’s Édouard Mendy of Al Ahli and Anthony Morris of Al Khaleej.

Bounou’s decisive moment came in Al Hilal’s 2-0 victory over Al Riyadh at King Abdullah Sports City, where he pulled off a crucial one-on-one save to deny forward Touzi.

The recognition caps off an already memorable period for the 33-year-old, who recently helped Morocco secure qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The Atlas Lions became the first African nation and second Arab team to book their place at the tournament, with Bounou keeping back-to-back clean sheets against Niger and Zambia during the international break.