SAUDI PRO LEAGUE · DEFENDERS · 2026/27
Highest paid Saudi Pro League defenders
Kalidou Koulibaly is the best-paid defender in the Saudi Pro League, on £497,000 a week at Al-Hilal Saudi Football Club, or £25,844,000 a year. Théo Hernández is next on £331,000 at Al-Hilal Saudi Football Club. We hold wages for 104 Saudi Pro League defenders in 2026/27.
BEST PAID £497k
AVERAGE WAGE £40,351
SHARE OF WAGE BILL21%
TOP 10 A WEEK £2.1m
WAGES HELD104
The 50 best-paid Saudi Pro League defenders
Weekly wage, 2026/27. A player who plays in two areas of the pitch is on both lists, at the full wage.
| # | PLAYER | WEEKLY | YEARLY | CLUB | AGE | POSITION | NATION |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kalidou Koulibaly | £497,000£497k | £25,844,000£25.8m | Al-Hilal Saudi Football Club | 34 | Centre-back | Senegal |
| 2 | Théo Hernández | £331,000£331k | £17,212,000£17.2m | Al-Hilal Saudi Football Club | 27 | Left-back | France |
| 3 | Mohamed Simakan | £249,000£249k | £12,948,000£12.9m | Al-Nassr Football Club | 25 | Centre-back | France |
| 4 | Íñigo Martínez | £232,000£232k | £12,064,000£12.1m | Al-Nassr Football Club | 34 | Centre-back | Spain |
| 5 | Merih Demiral | £207,000£207k | £10,764,000£10.8m | Al-Ahli Saudi Sport Club | 27 | Centre-back | Türkiye |
| 6 | Roger Ibañez | £166,000£166k | £8,632,000£8.6m | Al-Ahli Saudi Sport Club | 26 | Centre-back | Brazil |
| 7 | Nacho | £166,000£166k | £8,632,000£8.6m | Al-Qadsiah Football Club | 35 | Centre-back | Spain |
| 8 | Yusuf Akçiçek | £95,000£95k | £4,940,000£4.9m | Al-Hilal Saudi Football Club | 19 | Centre-back | Türkiye |
| 9 | Danilo Pereira | £87,000£87k | £4,524,000£4.5m | Al-Ittihad Club (KSA) | 33 | Centre-back, defensive midfielder | Portugal |
| 10 | Andrei Girotto | £86,000£86k | £4,472,000£4.5m | Al-Faisaly Football Club | 33 | Centre-back, defensive midfielder | Brazil |
| 11 | Nahitan Nández | £82,000£82k | £4,264,000£4.3m | Al-Qadsiah Football Club | 29 | Right wing-back, defensive midfielder, central midfielder | Uruguay |
| 12 | Nathan Zeze | £74,000£74k | £3,848,000£3.8m | Neom Sports Club | 20 | Centre-back | France |
| 13 | Marwane Saâdane | £54,000£54k | £2,808,000£2.8m | Al-Fateh Football Club | 33 | Centre-back, defensive midfielder | Morocco |
| 14 | Moteb Al-Harbi | £44,000£44k | £2,288,000£2.3m | Al-Hilal Saudi Football Club | 25 | Left-back | Saudi Arabia |
| 15 | Madallah Al-Olayan | £42,000£42k | £2,184,000£2.2m | Al-Ettifaq Football Club | 30 | Full-back | Saudi Arabia |
| 16 | Ali Magrashi | £41,000£41k | £2,132,000£2.1m | Al-Ahli Saudi Sport Club | 25 | Right-back | Saudi Arabia |
| 17 | Yasser Al-Shahrani | £41,000£41k | £2,132,000£2.1m | Al-Qadsiah Football Club | 33 | Full-back | Saudi Arabia |
| 18 | Abdulelah Al-Amri | £37,000£37k | £1,924,000£1.9m | Al-Nassr Football Club | 28 | Centre-back | Saudi Arabia |
| 19 | Sultan Al-Ghanam | £36,000£36k | £1,872,000£1.9m | Al-Nassr Football Club | 31 | Right-back | Saudi Arabia |
| 20 | Abdulbaset Al-Hindi | £35,000£35k | £1,820,000£1.8m | Abha Club | 28 | Centre-back | Saudi Arabia |
| 21 | Turki Al-Ammar | £35,000£35k | £1,820,000£1.8m | Al-Qadsiah Football Club | 25 | Left wing-back, winger | Saudi Arabia |
| 22 | Waleed Al-Ahmed | £34,000£34k | £1,768,000£1.8m | Al-Qadsiah Football Club | 26 | Centre-back | Saudi Arabia |
| 23 | Omar Colley | £34,000£34k | £1,768,000£1.8m | Diriyah Sport Club | 32 | Centre-back | Gambia |
| 24 | Rayyan Hamidou | £32,000£32k | £1,664,000£1.7m | Al-Ahli Saudi Sport Club | 23 | Centre-back | Saudi Arabia |
| 25 | Jack Hendry | £29,000£29k | £1,508,000£1.5m | Al-Ettifaq Football Club | 30 | Centre-back | Scotland |
| 26 | Fawaz Al-Saqoor | £29,000£29k | £1,508,000£1.5m | Al-Shabab Football Club | 29 | Right-back, right midfielder | Saudi Arabia |
| 27 | Abdelkader Bedrane | £27,000£27k | £1,404,000£1.4m | Damac Football Club | 33 | Centre-back | Algeria |
| 28 | Nasser Al-Dawsari | £26,000£26k | £1,352,000£1.4m | Al-Hilal Saudi Football Club | 26 | Left-back, defensive midfielder | Saudi Arabia |
| 29 | Hassan Kadesh | £26,000£26k | £1,352,000£1.4m | Al-Ittihad Club (KSA) | 32 | Centre-back | Saudi Arabia |
| 30 | Ali Al-Bulayhi | £26,000£26k | £1,352,000£1.4m | Al-Shabab Football Club | 35 | Centre-back | Saudi Arabia |
| 31 | Hassan Tambakti | £25,000£25k | £1,300,000£1.3m | Al-Hilal Saudi Football Club | 26 | Centre-back | Saudi Arabia |
| 32 | Ahmed Sharahili | £24,000£24k | £1,248,000£1.2m | Al-Ittihad Club (KSA) | 31 | Centre-back | Saudi Arabia |
| 33 | Ali Lajami | £20,000£20k | £1,040,000£1.0m | Al-Hilal Saudi Football Club | 29 | Centre-back | Saudi Arabia |
| 34 | Abdullah Al-Khatib | £18,000£18k | £936,000£936k | Al-Ettifaq Football Club | 30 | Centre-back | Saudi Arabia |
| 35 | Muhannad Al-Shanqeeti | £18,000£18k | £936,000£936k | Al-Ittihad Club (KSA) | 26 | Right-back | Saudi Arabia |
| 36 | Ahmad Al-Julaydan | £18,000£18k | £936,000£936k | Al-Ittihad Club (KSA) | 21 | Right-back | Saudi Arabia |
| 37 | Nader Al-Sharari | £18,000£18k | £936,000£936k | Al-Nassr Football Club | 29 | Centre-back | Saudi Arabia |
| 38 | Jehad Thakri | £17,000£17k | £884,000£884k | Al-Qadsiah Football Club | 23 | Centre-back | Saudi Arabia |
| 39 | Hamad Al-Yami | £16,000£16k | £832,000£832k | Al-Hilal Saudi Football Club | 26 | Right-back | Saudi Arabia |
| 40 | Tin Jedvaj | £16,000£16k | £832,000£832k | Al-Shabab Football Club | 29 | Centre-back | Croatia |
| 41 | Awn Mutlaq Al-Slaluli | £16,000£16k | £832,000£832k | Al-Taawoun Football Club | 26 | Centre-back | Saudi Arabia |
| 42 | Bassam Al-Huraiji | £16,000£16k | £832,000£832k | Al-Taawoun Football Club | 25 | Right-back | Saudi Arabia |
| 43 | Abdullah Madu | £15,000£15k | £780,000£780k | Al-Ettifaq Football Club | 31 | Centre-back | Saudi Arabia |
| 44 | Ali Makki | £15,000£15k | £780,000£780k | Al-Shabab Football Club | 26 | Centre-back | Saudi Arabia |
| 45 | Abdullah Al-Fahad | £14,000£14k | £728,000£728k | Abha Club | 31 | Centre-back | Saudi Arabia |
| 46 | Ahmed Al-Mhemaid | £14,000£14k | £728,000£728k | Al-Faisaly Football Club | 26 | Right-back, defensive midfielder | Saudi Arabia |
| 47 | Saad Al-Nasser | £14,000£14k | £728,000£728k | Al-Nassr Football Club | 24 | Left-back, defensive midfielder | Saudi Arabia |
| 48 | Gastón Álvarez | £14,000£14k | £728,000£728k | Al-Qadsiah Football Club | 25 | Centre-back | Uruguay |
| 49 | Saad Balobaid | £14,000£14k | £728,000£728k | Al-Shabab Football Club | 25 | Left-back | Saudi Arabia |
| 50 | Dhari Al-Enezi | £14,000£14k | £728,000£728k | Al-Shabab Football Club | 25 | Left-back | Saudi Arabia |
What each position earns in the Saudi Pro League
Average weekly wage of the players aged 22 or over we hold a wage for
Defenders take 21% of what the Saudi Pro League pays its players of that age. The four shares add up to the whole bill, because a player who plays in two areas gives half the wage to each.
The clubs that pay their defenders the most
Every defender wage we hold at each Saudi Pro League club, added together, a week
Al-Hilal Saudi Football Club pay 11 defenders £1,071,955 a week between them, and Kalidou Koulibaly takes 46% of it.
The best-paid defender at every Saudi Pro League club
19 clubs, 2026/27, with where each ranks among the league's defenders
The best-paid defender in every men's league
43 leagues, ordered by their best-paid defender. The Saudi Pro League ranks first.
| LEAGUE | BEST PAID | WEEKLY | AVERAGE |
|---|---|---|---|
| Saudi Pro League | Kalidou Koulibaly | £497,000£497k | £40,351£40k |
| Premier League | Virgil van Dijk | £350,000£350k | £69,840£70k |
| Bundesliga | Dayot Upamecano | £331,000£331k | £42,331£42k |
| Ligue 1 | Lucas Hernández | £316,000£316k | £27,702£28k |
| La Liga | João Cancelo | £249,000£249k | £37,418£37k |
| Serie A | John Stones | £200,000£200k | £36,415£36k |
| Süper Lig | Milan Škriniar | £166,000£166k | £15,078£15k |
| Superleague Greece | Stefan de Vrij | £117,000£117k | £10,420£10k |
| Championship | Kieran Trippier | £115,000£115k | £18,082£18k |
| Eredivisie | Lutsharel Geertruida | £99,000£99k | £8,088£8k |
| Major League Soccer | Jordi Alba | £85,000£85k | £7,805£8k |
| Scottish Premiership | Ben Godfrey | £80,000£80k | £5,860£6k |
| Primeira Liga | Jakub Kiwior | £58,000£58k | £5,910£6k |
| La Liga 2 | David López | £58,000£58k | £4,473£4k |
| Russian Premier League | Matheus Reis | £57,000£57k | £12,772£13k |
| Brasileirão Série A | Guillermo Maripán | £53,000£53k | £8,284£8k |
| Belgian Pro League | Matteo Dams | £49,000£49k | £5,133£5k |
| League One | Wes Morgan | £46,000£46k | £5,700£6k |
| 2. Bundesliga | Yannick Gerhardt | £42,000£42k | £8,296£8k |
| Super Liga | Nicolás Otamendi | £41,000£41k | £3,253£3k |
| Danish Superliga | Rasmus Kristensen | £39,000£39k | £5,418£5k |
| Ekstraklasa | Attila Szalai | £36,000£36k | £2,883£3k |
| Serie B | Federico Baschirotto | £33,000£33k | £6,876£7k |
| Czech First League | David Jurásek | £29,000£29k | £1,857£2k |
| Chinese Super League | Matheus Jussa (Matheus Isaias dos Santos) | £27,000£27k | £4,788£5k |
| Liga MX | Kenedy | £25,000£25k | £6,926£7k |
| Austrian Bundesliga | Stefan Lainer | £21,000£21k | £4,095£4k |
| Ligue 2 | Frédéric Guilbert | £18,000£18k | £4,556£5k |
| J1 League | Gotoku Sakai | £15,000£15k | £3,457£3k |
| Croatian First League | Ronaël Pierre-Gabriel | £15,000£15k | £2,078£2k |
| Thai League | Erik Sviatchenko | £14,000£14k | £2,172£2k |
| Eliteserien | Hrannar Snær Magnússon | £13,000£13k | £1,630£2k |
| Belgian Challenger Pro League | Thomas Foket | £8,600£9k | £1,529£2k |
| League Two | Alfie Dorrington | £8,500£9k | £2,352£2k |
| Categoría Primera A | Frank Fabra | £8,300£8k | £3,994£4k |
| Scottish Championship | Leon King | £8,000£8k | £952£952 |
| A-League | Jacob Farrell | £6,100£6k | £1,262£1k |
| Indian Super League | Anwar Ali | £4,500£5k | £595£595 |
| National League | Jake Rooney | £4,100£4k | £1,165£1k |
| I-League | Jamie McCart | £4,100£4k | £547£547 |
| Veikkausliiga | Alfie Cicale | £2,500£3k | £646£646 |
| Canadian Premier League | Curtis Ofori | £1,400£1k | £443£443 |
| Meistriliiga | Modou Tambedou | £484£484 | £152£152 |
Frequently asked questions
Who is the highest paid defender in the Saudi Pro League?
Kalidou Koulibaly of Al-Hilal Saudi Football Club, on £497,000 a week in 2026/27, or £25,844,000 a year. Théo Hernández of Al-Hilal Saudi Football Club is second on £331,000 a week.
How much do Saudi Pro League defenders earn?
The average Saudi Pro League defender aged 22 or over earns £40,351 a week, and the median one £14,000. Defenders take 21% of what the Saudi Pro League pays its players of that age.
Which Saudi Pro League club pays its defenders the most?
Al-Hilal Saudi Football Club, £1,071,955 a week across the 11 defenders we hold a wage for, led by Kalidou Koulibaly on £497,000.
Who is the highest paid defender in football?
Of the 43 men's leagues we rank defenders in, the best-paid is Kalidou Koulibaly of Al-Hilal Saudi Football Club in the Saudi Pro League, on £497,000 a week. No league pays a defender more than the Saudi Pro League does.
Where to next
The same Saudi Pro League squads, cut a different way
See the highest paid Saudi Pro League players in every position, the best-paid player at every club, what Saudi Pro League players are paid at every age, or the Saudi Pro League wage bill, club by club.