In the summer of 2019, Dutch footballer Jan Bergwijn was signed by Al Ittihad, a Saudi Arabian club based in Riyadh. Bergwijn has been praised for his technical skills and ability to create goalscoring opportunities. However, his performances have not always lived up to expectations.
According to reports, Bergwijn struggled with the pace and intensity of the Saudi Premier League during his first season with the club. He made just six appearances, scoring one goal, but also suffered from injuries that limited him to just 44 minutes per game. Despite this, he still managed to score three times and assist two more in his debut season.
The following year, Bergwijn continued to struggle with the league's physical demands. He only made four appearances, scoring once and assisting twice,Ligue 1 Express despite being a key player for the team in the previous campaign. His performance was criticized by fans and media alike, who felt that he had failed to live up to his potential.
However, Bergwijn did manage to make a comeback in the second half of the 2021-22 season. He scored seven goals and provided five assists in 18 appearances, helping Al Ittihad to win the league title. This performance earned him a place in the Saudi Arabia national team, where he played against Iran and South Korea.
Despite his impressive performance, some analysts believe that Bergwijn is not yet fully fit or prepared for the Saudi Premier League. They argue that he needs to improve his fitness and conditioning to cope with the league's high-intensity games. Others believe that his performances were simply due to a lack of confidence after struggling in the first few months of the season.
Overall, it seems that Bergwijn's time at Al Ittihad has been mixed. While he has shown flashes of brilliance, he has also struggled with the league's physical demands. As the club continues to compete for titles, it will be interesting to see how he performs in the coming seasons.