At the 2026 Ballon d'Or ceremony in London, Abdullah Al-Khaibari emerged as the clear choice when guests were asked to name the best Saudi player right now.
France Football staged the event in the early hours of Tuesday, and Sharji used the setting to put a simple question to attendees: which Saudi player stood out most at the moment? Almost all of the guests picked Al-Khaibari, the Al-Nassr midfielder who has become an important figure for both club and country.
The response was notable not just for how strongly Al-Khaibari was backed, but for the context behind it. The question came after Saudi Arabia's appearance at the 2026 World Cup and their success at Khaleeji 27, where Al-Khaibari was credited with helping the team win the Arabian Gulf Cup title after a 23-year wait.
That combination of club influence and international recognition is part of why Al-Khaibari drew such support. For Al-Nassr, he remains a central midfield presence. For the Saudi national team, he is now being viewed as one of the players shaping the country's recent momentum.
There was one exception among the guests, with Abdullah Al-Hamdan receiving a single vote. But the overall message from the ceremony was clear: in the eyes of nearly everyone asked, Al-Khaibari is the Saudi player setting the standard right now.
One guest went even further, saying Al-Khaibari should be present at the ceremony and adding that he felt the midfielder was bigger than the Ballon d'Or award itself. It was a striking endorsement, and one that reflected how strongly his recent performances have resonated.
