A Rising Star of Saudi Football Analytics: Ahmed Hayyan and Mehdaf.
In the rapidly evolving landscape of Saudi football, where European talent has been flooding into the market, Jobs4football are proud to source and highlight a homegrown analytical prodigy who is emerging as a force to be reckoned with in the industry.
Ahmed Hayyan, a 23-year-old data science student from Jeddah, is revolutionising how the
Saudi Pro League is analysed and understood through his innovative platform,
Mehdaf.
Born out of a passion for both football and numbers, Mehdaf represents the intersection of cutting-edge data science and the beautiful game. Hayyan, currently in his third year at Saudi Electronic University, has already made significant strides in bridging the gap between complex statistical analysis and practical on-field applications specialising within the Saudi Pro League.
In a collaboration with Jobs4football which will showcase Hayyan skillset on a weekly basis , his first in-depth analysis for Jobs4football covers defensive strategies within the 2024-25 Saudi Pro League season. This comprehensive study will be the first example of Hayyan's innovative approach to football analytics.
In this collaborative project with Jobs4football, he delves deep into the defensive setups of teams in the Saudi Pro League , utilising Python to develop sophisticated visualisations that offer fresh perspectives on defensive tactics. His work has a key goal to make complex data accessible to a wide audience.
Hayyan's analysis incorporates a range of crucial defensive actions, including aerial duels, ball recoveries, tackles, and interceptions. By examining these metrics, he reveals key defensive action locations, assesses effectiveness in stopping attacks, and analyses average player positions during defensive phases. A standout feature of his analysis is the introduction of the
Defensive Action Height (DAH) metric, which quantifies how high up the pitch teams engage defensively. This innovative measure provides valuable insights into tactical approaches across the league.
The analysis graphic above highlights current champions
Al Hilal's defensive dominance, showcasing their impressive statistics. With 432 successful defensive actions and 55 occurring just outside their defensive third,
Al Hilal maintains a DAH of 37.15 meters while conceding only six goals in eight matches. Their high defensive line forces opponents to play deep in their own third, making it challenging to break through their defence. In comparison,
Al Khaleej has a DAH of 36 meters but has conceded 16 goals in the same number of matches.
Al Nassr ranks second after
Al Hilal with a DAH of 41.68 meters and has conceded only seven goals. Meanwhile, Al Ittihad presents a different picture with a DAH of 41.29 meters but has allowed eight goals and faced the second-highest shots against them.
Hayyan's analysis reveals that DAH alone doesn't tell the full story; the organisation of defensive lines and team unity play crucial roles in overall performance. Al Hilal's compact and unified press contrasts sharply with
Al Ittihad's wider spacing, which creates vulnerabilities between their lines despite a high DAH. Through these visualisations, Hayyan not only illustrates where teams defend but also how their defensive structure impacts their performance on the pitch. This comprehensive analysis provides teams with valuable insights to enhance their defensive strategies, demonstrating the power of data-driven analysis in modern football.
Hayyan's ambitions extend far beyond personal success. His vision for Mehdaf is to become the premier resource for football teams and analysts in Saudi Arabia, bridging accessible data with decision-making to improve the game through innovative performance analysis. This goal aligns perfectly with the Kingdom's broader ambitions in football and importantly with Jobs4football vision to empower domestic talent.
Hayyan's work exemplifies the rich talent pool within Saudi Arabia and the potential for homegrown expertise to drive innovation in football analytics. As he continues to develop new metrics and visualisation techniques, adapting global best practices to the unique context of Saudi football, Hayyan is not just analysing the present state of the game – he's actively shaping its future for Saudi based analysts to follow.
Through collaborations like the one with Jobs4football and his ongoing work with Mehdaf, Ahmed Hayyan is catalysing a shift towards a more data-informed, strategically sophisticated era in Saudi football. His efforts promise to elevate the game both within the Kingdom, inspiring a new generation of data analysts and football professionals in Saudi Arabia.
As the Saudi Pro League continues to attract global attention, it's imperative that visionaries like Ahmed Hayyan who are ensuring that local talent remains at the forefront of the league's evolution. With Mehdaf, Hayyan is not just keeping pace with the global trends in football analytics – he's helping to set them, proving that Saudi Arabia's football revolution is as much about nurturing homegrown expertise as it is about attracting international stars.
