Born in Dhahran, raised in Groningen: Kelder’s Saudi homecoming raises new questions

RIYADH: When Robin Kelder was born in Dhahran on March 25, 2005, the Saudi Pro League was still a growing entity that had not yet professionalized.

He would not stay long enough to see it evolve. Moving to the Netherlands as a young child, he grew up far from the country of his birth, coming through the youth ranks at ACV Assen before joining FC Groningen’s academy — where the likes of Ronald Koeman, Virgil van Dijk and Arjen Robben were shaped.

Two decades on, Kelder is back in Saudi Arabia having signed for Eastern Province side Al-Fateh, the club that pulled off an unprecedented, Leicester City-style title win in 2013.

Al-Fateh are one of the Kingdom’s most community-focused clubs, with a track record of nurturing young players — a fitting landing spot for one with his whole career still ahead of him.

“My first impression of Al-Fateh is that it’s a big family club,” Kelder told Arab News. “It feels like the whole city is supporting the team, and that’s something I really like.

“My old club in the Netherlands  — Groningen  — is a club of the city, just like Al-Fateh. Since I arrived, many people have welcomed me warmly — approaching me at the mall — and those moments have already made me feel at home.”

His move to Saudi Arabia was preceded by the arrival of another Dutch player, one that piqued Kelder’s interest while he was plying his trade in Europe.

“From the outside, you see that the SPL is growing — players like Ronaldo and Benzema, and now Summerville from the Netherlands,” he said. “It’s a big thing to see them coming to the league as the quality continues to grow.”

But the biggest talking point surrounding Kelder’s arrival has been his origins — and the move to the SPL has raised questions about