Wijnaldum says Al-Ittihad fans remind him of Liverpool and Feyenoord

Gini Wijnaldum says the passion of Al-Ittihad supporters has given him the same feeling he experienced during his time with Liverpool and Feyenoord, describing the Saudi Pro League club as one that belongs to its fans.

The Netherlands midfielder joined Al-Ittihad as a free agent on a one-season contract after his deal with former club Al-Ettifaq expired.

Wijnaldum praised the support he has received from Al-Ittihad fans in an interview with the club’s YouTube channel, saying their backing had made a strong impression on him during previous meetings.

“In every match in which I faced them, they supported their team with great passion,” he said.

“As soon as you come to the stadium and see them arriving, or see them in the stands and hear them chanting for their team, you immediately get the feeling that this is a historic and big club, one that is brought to life by its supporters and its people.”

The 34-year-old added that the connection between Al-Ittihad and its fans reminded him particularly of his experiences at Feyenoord and Liverpool.

“That is the same feeling I experienced, even more strongly, with Feyenoord and Liverpool,” he said. “It is true that my other former clubs also had that, but with those two clubs in particular, I felt that the club genuinely belonged to its supporters. That is the feeling I have with Al-Ittihad.”

Wijnaldum also discussed his relationship with fellow Netherlands international Steven Bergwijn, who is currently a winger at Al-Ittihad. The pair previously played together at Eindhoven, where Bergwijn joined the senior team as a young player while Wijnaldum was captain.

“There is a special story between us,” Wijnaldum said. “When I was at Eindhoven, in the season in which we became champions and I was captain of the team, he joined as a young player.”

“In his first match for the team, he gave me an assist and I scored. Over the years, we stayed in constant contact and became very close friends, so it is a special feeling to be alongside each other on the pitch again.”

The midfielder was also asked where he expects to play under German head coach Jens Vising. Wijnaldum said he had generally been more attack-minded at the beginning of his career and had operated as a playmaker during two seasons under Saad Al-Shehri, when he felt his performances had been highly effective.

However, he stressed that he was prepared to take on whichever role the team required.

“Since the beginning of my career, I have played in a more attacking role, as a playmaker, which was the position I played in for two seasons with coach Saad Al-Shehri, and things went very well,” he said.

“But I am at the coach’s disposal wherever the team needs me. I have played in different positions. At Liverpool, for example, I was not a playmaker but a defensive midfielder, and that role worked extremely well for the benefit of the team.”

Wijnaldum said he was optimistic about working with Vising, having previously enjoyed a successful spell under a German coach, most notably Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool.

“I look at this experience with great optimism because I have worked with a German coach before, and it was a very successful experience,” he said.

“I have also watched the team’s matches and seen its style of play, and I found it very encouraging. It is an attacking approach based on trying to score, while putting players in the right positions to make the most of their abilities.”