Scouts for Saudi Arabia are now marching into North America. They nabbed forward Ramiro Enrique from Orlando City SC.
Across three MLS regular seasons, forward Ramiro Enrique started 27 of the 74 matches he played for Orlando City SC. That’s 43 starts in 102 appearances across all competitions. Of his 42 shots on target, he netted 20 goals. He’ll now apply his skills in Saudi Arabia.
Orlando transferred Enrique to Al-Kholood Football Club of the Saudi Pro League. The team was recently privatized and is owned by the Harburg Group, a United States investment firm. Now that the team has gotten a promotion to a higher tier, scouts went to work to make sure they stay there.
Acquiring Ramiro Enrique for the squad is a strong move to achieve that goal.
In recent years, Saudi Arabia turned up the heat for their soccer efforts. Outlets like Sports Illustrated described the result as making their leagues a place for strong international players to extend their careers before reaching their peak.
By the time Cristiano Ronaldo joined team Al-Nassr FC in late 2022, GQ wanted to jump into the discussion. They published a long article in 2024 describing supporters’ reactions to greeting such a player of note.
But the magazine emphasized that the reaction wasn’t isolated to Ronaldo. They said Saudi Arabia’s scouts are sent in search of talent armed with a fortune.
What they’ve acquired in Enrique is a team dynamo. Scouts found in him a player effective during indirect set pieces, an expert in layoffs, and successful in short passes.
Orlando City Head Coach Oscar Pareja said Enrique achieved a high level of focus that the team needed to reach the MLS postseason and succeed there. That level of focus can’t be summoned without preparation, and this player knows that.
Physical drills contribute to muscle memory and discipline. But that is just one facet of focus. Confidence and teamwork come from his dedicated application of what it takes to help his team win.
By acquiring Ramiro Enrique from Orlando City SC, Al-Kholood and their scouts have a major win.