Hammam Al Hammami shines for Al Shabab as Ben Harburg drives Al Kholood plans

Hammam Al Hammami, only 21 years old, is now wearing the Al Shabab shirt after signing a two-year deal in the summer. On Thursday, September 25, 2025, he lined up against his old club Al Kholood at the SHG Arena in Riyadh in Matchweek 4 of the Roshn Saudi League. This will be a special game, because Al Kholood gave him the stage last season, where he showed his true potential. Now he returns as one of the brightest young names in Saudi football.Hammam Al Hammami started his football career at the West Ham Foundation before moving into the Saudi Arabian Football Federation’s Future Falcons program. He also had a spell in Europe with Slavia Prague in Czech . After coming back home, he joined Al Ittihad and made his Saudi League debut on April 1, 2024, in the Sea Derby. At just 20, he showed enough quality to play two more games against Al Taawoun and Al Hazem.But his big step came in the 2024–25 season when he went on loan to Al Kholood. There, he made 32 league appearances, scored four goals, and added three assists. His best moment came in February when he scored twice in a 3-2 win over Al Riyadh. By the end of the season, Al Kholood finished ninth, and Hammam was shortlisted for the RSL Young Player of the Year award. Those performances made Al Shabab move quickly to sign him this summer.Also Read:Top 5 Al Hilal Players’ Exotic Supercar Collections: From Kalidou Koulibaly’s $80,000 Porsche Cayenne To Salem Al Dawsari’s $460,000 Rolls Royce PhantomHammam Al Hammami did not just impress fans and coaches. Nigeria captain William Troost-Ekong, who played with him at Al Kholood, praised him during an interview with the Saudi Pro League. Troost-Ekong said, “I’ve been very excited about Hammam Al Hammami. He is one I will tip to be a star of the future.” His words mattered because he has played in the Premier League and Serie A.At the same time, Ben Harburg, the new owner of Al Kholood, has spoken about building the club as a home for Saudi talent. Hammam is proof of that vision. On Thursday night in Riyadh, he will now test himself against his old club, as Al Shabab look for another win in front of their home fans.