There may be another couple of twists and turns to run yet in the race for the Roshn Saudi League golden boot, but with one full round of the campaign to go, Ivan Toney and Julian Quinones have etched their names already into the record books.
The 2025-26 RSL’s leading marksmen face off against once another in the battle for top-scorer honours, however Quinones’ opener in Al Qadsiah’s 2-0 victory at home to Al Hazem on Thursday night pinned the pair together in history forever.
That’s because, in netting for a 30th time in the RSL this term and thus moving to within one of Toney at the summit of the scoring charts, Quinones ensured this represents the first season on record that two RSL strikers have hit the 30-goal mark.
Julian Quinones voted Man of the Match v Al Hazem – his 13th MOTM award this season
And so, as the deadeye duo now sit some way ahead of two-time golden boot winner Cristiano Ronaldo (26 goals) at this stage of the campaign, it appears almost certain the Al Nassr captain’s vice-like grip on the individual trophy has relinquished.
Toney, though, stays firmly in control since, unlike Quinones and Ronaldo, he has two RSL fixtures to potentially play. Thus, the quest to be confirmed the division’s chief frontman resumes on Saturday, when third-placed Al Ahli – back-to-back Asian champions, no less – host Al Kholood, in 14th.
Still, even if he narrowly misses out on that particular gong, on Thursday Quinones collected a 13th Man of the Match award of the season. Unlucky for everyone but him, the Mexico international cannot be caught in that category. As such, the 2025-26 Fans’ Player of the Season is his.
Ivan Toney celebrates hat-trick for Al Ahli v Al Fateh
Not that Quinones is placing personal success before the team’s.
"The whole team is deserving of this, and we continue to add three points, which is important," he said. "My thought is that this is just a trophy; the whole team is the player of the match, because we have done a great job throughout the season. And that is what really matters."
The victory kept Al Qadsiah fourth in the table but hauled Brendan Rodgers free-scoring side to within one point of Al Ahli.
