Have you ever dreamed of playing soccer so well that teams from around the world want to sign you? Well, that dream has come true for Italian soccer star Mateo Retegui, who just made a huge move from Italy’s Atalanta to Saudi Arabia’s Al Qadsiah. Not only is this a big step in his career, but it also made history!
Who is Mateo Retegui?
Mateo Retegui is a 26-year-old soccer player who plays as a striker, which means his main job is to score goals. Strikers are usually the players who get the most attention because they’re the ones putting the ball in the back of the net. Retegui was born in Argentina, but thanks to his Italian grandparents, he qualified to play for the Italy national team.
In fact, he made his international debut for Italy in 2023 during a match against England, one of the top soccer nations in the world. Even though Italy lost that game 2-1, Retegui scored a goal in his very first appearance. That’s a pretty impressive way to start an international career! Since then, he has played 20 times for Italy and scored 6 goals.
A Short Stay at Atalanta
Retegui only played one season at Atalanta, a top team in Italy’s Serie A league. He joined the club from Genoa after another Italian striker, Gianluca Scamacca, got injured. Even though Retegui was only a backup plan, he turned out to be one of the best players in the league!
In the 2024-2025 season, he scored 25 goals in Serie A, making him the top scorer in the league. That helped Atalanta finish in third place, which means they likely qualified for the UEFA Champions League, one of the biggest tournaments in the world for club teams.
To give you an idea of how impressive 25 goals is: in a regular Serie A season, each team plays 38 matches. That means Retegui was scoring in more than half of the games—an amazing achievement!
A Record-Breaking Transfer
On Monday, both Atalanta and Al Qadsiah, a club in the Saudi Pro League, confirmed that Retegui was moving to Saudi Arabia. According to Italian news reports, the transfer fee was around 65 million euros, which is about 70 million U.S. dollars! That makes Retegui the most expensive Italian soccer player ever sold.
That’s a lot of money! But in soccer, transfer fees are how clubs buy players from other teams. The bigger the fee, the more valuable the player is seen to be.
Retegui signed a four-year contract, which means he’ll be playing in Saudi Arabia until at least 2029, unless another team buys him before then.
Why Saudi Arabia?
In recent years, Saudi Arabia has become a popular place for soccer stars. The Saudi Pro League has been growing fast, and clubs are spending big money to bring in famous players from Europe, South America, and Africa.
In 2023, big names like Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema, and Neymar joined Saudi clubs. Now, Retegui is joining that list of international stars who are bringing attention to soccer in the Middle East.
Al Qadsiah is one of the clubs trying to rise in the Saudi league. By signing Retegui, they are showing they want to compete with the best and maybe win trophies.
A Goodbye from Atalanta
Atalanta was thankful for everything Retegui did in his one season there. In a statement, the club’s owners, the Percassi and Pagliuca families, said:
“We sincerely thank Mateo Retegui for the extraordinary contribution he made last season and wish him the best for the continuation of his sporting career and for his future.”
It’s always bittersweet when a good player leaves, but that’s part of the soccer world. Players come and go, and fans always hope for new stars to rise.
🇮🇹 Fun Fact: Italian Soccer History
Italy has a long history of soccer success. The Italy national team, known as the Azzurri, has won the FIFA World Cup four times: in 1934, 1938, 1982, and 2006. That makes them one of the most successful national teams in the world. Only Brazil has won more World Cups, with five.
Italian soccer is also known for strong defenses, but in recent years, fans have loved seeing players like Retegui bring back the excitement of goal-scoring.
Who Left Al Qadsiah?
While Al Qadsiah gained a star striker, they also said goodbye to another one. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, a striker from Gabon, left the club just a few days before Mateo Retegui arrived. Aubameyang scored 21 goals in 36 matches during his one season in Saudi Arabia. That’s a solid record!
Aubameyang has played for some big teams in his career, including Arsenal, Borussia Dortmund, and Barcelona. Now that he’s gone, Mateo Retegui will be expected to fill his shoes—and maybe even do better!
Soccer Facts for Middle School Fans
The striker position is often called the “number 9” role because of the jersey number.
A hat trick is when a player scores three goals in a single match. Mateo Retegui had two hat tricks last season in Serie A!
The Serie A Golden Boot is awarded to the top goal scorer in Italy’s top league. Mateo Reteguiwon this in 2025.
In soccer, a transfer window is a special time of year when teams are allowed to buy and sell players. Most transfers happen in the summer and winter windows.
What’s Next for Retegui?
With his move to Al Qadsiah, Mateo Retegui will face new challenges. He’ll need to adjust to a new country, a different style of play, and compete against some of the world’s best-known players.
But based on how quickly he rose to the top in Italy, fans believe he can succeed anywhere. And who knows? He might even return to Europe one day or lead Italy to another World Cup!
For now, soccer fans will be watching to see how Mateo Retegui performs in Saudi Arabia—and if he can break even more records in his new chapter.
