From the bottom: African striker dreams of competing with Ronaldo and Toney for the Roshan top scorer award

Will he succeed?

An African striker dreams of competing with the stars of the Saudi Roshn League for the top scorer title in the current 2026-2027 season, despite playing for one of the clubs battling against relegation.

Step forward Guinea's Alexandre Mendy. The Al-Faisaly striker scored a hat-trick to lead his side to their first win of the current Roshn League season, 3-2 against Al-Khaleej on Friday in the ninth round.

That treble was only the second in Al-Faisaly's history in the Saudi league, after Albania's Migjen Mimeli, and it took Mendy's tally in the current edition of the competition to 4 goals.

Speaking to the Saudi newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat, the Guinean said: "I hope to become the Saudi league's top scorer this season."

He added: "I want to contribute, along with my team-mates, to producing outstanding performances that help the team achieve its ambitions, the most important of which is securing survival for another season. The priority for me is to serve the team and the group."

There's work to do. Mendy trails England's Ivan Toney, the Al-Ahli striker, by a full 7 goals, with Toney leading the Saudi league scoring charts in the current season on 11.

Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo, the Al-Nassr captain, has won the Saudi league's top scorer title twice in the last 3 seasons. Mexico's Julian Quinones, the Al-Qadsiah striker, took the award last season.