Latest news with #Qadsiah
Saudi Gazette
29-05-2025
- Sport
- Saudi Gazette
Michel González: We came to Jeddah to win the King's Cup
Saudi Gazette report JEDDAH — Al Qadsiah head coach Michel González declared his side's intent to win the King's Cup final, insisting that the team arrived in Jeddah with both the ambition and experience needed to secure the trophy. Speaking at the pre-match press conference on Thursday, the Spanish coach praised his squad's progression this season and singled out experienced leaders such as Nacho Fernández — a six-time UEFA Champions League winner — as vital figures heading into the decisive clash against Al Ittihad. 'We're here with one goal — to win,' said González. 'We'll face a top-level opponent, but we've accomplished many great things this season, and we'll give everything we have in this final.' González highlighted Qadsiah's history of success and the journey the team has taken this season: 'This club has a legacy. From day one, we worked to bring the team to this level, and now we're proud of what we've achieved. We'll be playing against the best team in the league, but we're prepared.' Reflecting on Qadsiah's performance against Al Ittihad earlier this season, the coach said: 'We were better in our last encounter than in the first leg. When you play against big clubs, you have to go beyond your limits to win. That's what we're aiming for tomorrow.' Responding to comments from Al Ittihad coach Laurent Blanc, who expressed confidence in winning the title, González said with a smile: 'If I were in his position, I'd probably say the same thing.' Asked whether he fears facing a team considered stronger on paper, González dismissed the suggestion: 'People say this whenever we play the big teams — but we've proven them wrong. I know the histories of these clubs, but this is a challenge. I've got Nacho beside me, a player with six Champions League titles, and others with top-level experience. We're not afraid.' He concluded by reaffirming his belief in the team's playing style and preparation: 'Of course, we've worked specifically for this final. But we also believe in our football — it's what brought us here.'
Arab News
23-04-2025
- Sport
- Arab News
Al-Qadsiah confident ahead of SPL showdown with Al-Khaleej in Dammam
RIYADH: Al-Qadsiah travel with confidence for their SaudiPro League showdown with Al-Khaleej, today, 9pm, at Prince Mohammed bin Fahd Stadium in Dammam. Al-Qadsiah arrive in Dammam, for Round 29 of the SPL, off the back of a 2-1 win over Al-Nassr, returning to winning ways after two draws against Al-Ittihad and Al-Ettifaq, and two losses to Al-Fayha and Damac. Meanwhile, Al-Khaleej continue to drop points, having suffered three defeats against Al-Hilal, Al-Fateh, and Al-Wehda in their last four matches, before beating Al-Raed. The two teams have met five times before in the Pro League, with Qadsiah winning twice, Al-Khaleej once, and two matches ending in draws. Their most recent game, in Round 12 of this season, ended in a 1-0 win for Qadsiah. Qadsiah currently sits in fifth place with 55 points, tied with fourth-place Al-Ahli, and trail league leaders Al-Ittihad by 13 points. Al-Khaleej lies in tenth place with 33 points.
Iraqi News
15-04-2025
- Sport
- Iraqi News
Duhok wins against Kuwait's Qadsiah to win the Gulf Clubs Cup
The Iraqi team Duhok won the Gulf Clubs Cup on Tuesday evening after defeating Kuwait's Qadsiah 2-1 in the second leg of the final. Duhok took the lead through Sepaned Akid in the 66th minute before Qadsiah equalized through Muhammed Salih in the 70th minute. In additional time, Duhok scored a decisive goal in the 93rd minute with a precise header from Marlon. The team maintained the lead despite over 13 minutes of extra time, winning the title for the first time in the tournament's history and the first for an Iraqi club. The first leg was held in Kuwait on April 8th and ended in a clean draw.
Arab News
11-04-2025
- Sport
- Arab News
Meet Ali Al-Shabeeb, the Geordie Saudi who scored at Wembley and dreams of SPL move
LONDON: When Ali Al-Shabeeb starts talking, his Geordie accent is unmistakable. Although he was born in Dammam, Al-Shabeeb left Saudi Arabia when he was 8 years old to move with his family to Newcastle. He went to school there, stayed in the northeast of England to go to Northumbria University, and now plays football there too, for FC Darlington. For the latest updates, follow us @ArabNewsSport 'When I first came here, I did not speak an ounce of English,' Al-Shabeeb told Arab News. 'My dad was studying for his PhD, so he brought us all across, but I didn't even play football then. I was a tennis player. 'But you can't grow up in Newcastle without seeing the love and joy that football gives people, and so of course I started playing and kept improving to the level that I was able to think about having a career in the game.' Picked for the prestigious English Universities side while studying at Northumbria, Al-Shabeeb recalls facing the likes of ex-Manchester United players Mason Greenwood and Angel Gomes in youth football tournaments. Al-Shabeeb was still at university when he made history in 2021. Playing for non-league Consett AFC, the young Saudi forward helped his team reach the FA Vase final at Wembley Stadium, the iconic home of England's national team. Although Consett lost the final 3-2, Al-Shabeeb became the first player from the Kingdom to score at Wembley. 'If I'm being totally honest, I had it in the back of my mind the night before,' Al-Shabeeb recalled, smiling. 'Sitting in the hotel, I remember thinking, 'You've actually got a chance to score at Wembley tomorrow.' 'I didn't have any nerves going into the match, and then I scored the first goal of the game. It was surreal, incredible. When you think about all the players who have scored goals at Wembley, it is difficult to believe and hard to describe how it feels. 'The only disappointing thing was it was during COVID-19, so there were no fans. I wish my family could have been there and we could have enjoyed playing in front of a big crowd.' News of the Wembley goal made it all the way back to the Kingdom, and Al-Shabeeb soon found himself being approached by Saudi clubs about a professional contract. The most exciting offer came from Al-Qadsiah, who were then playing in the Saudi First Division. Al-Shabeeb was set to sign for the club, but then the deal fell through when a groin injury was identified in his medical. Since then, Al-Qadsiah have enjoyed a meteoric rise and are currently third in the Saudi Pro League table and the King's Cup semifinals. 'It's a hard pill to swallow if I'm being totally honest,' Al-Shabeeb admitted. 'Qadsiah would have been the right environment for me to improve and develop in Saudi Arabia. But these things happen in football, and I'm thankful for the opportunities I've had. 'Still, I honestly believe if I had signed for Qadsiah then I would still be there now. I think playing in English football has given me knowledge and experience that no other Saudi player has. I can handle myself physically but have the technical ability too.' Al-Shabeeb ended up having surgery on his groin and moved to the Kingdom in the summer of 2022, joining Saudi First Division side Al-Sahel. He later played for Al-Qaisumah too, coming up against Michel's Al-Qadsiah on their way to winning the Saudi First Division title last season. 'It was funny going back home to Saudi Arabia because there were four foreign players in the squad, but everyone would see me as a foreigner more than a Saudi player,' Al-Shabeeb said. 'I always got on really well with the foreign players — we had Brazilians and Portuguese — because I think we had a lot more in common. But of course, I speak Arabic too, so I really found myself to be a bridge between the two sets of players in the dressing room. It's a nice position to be in when you can be that connection.' Al-Shabeeb struggled to find his feet back in the country of his birth, and he felt his development was stifled as coaches regularly came and went. 'I didn't have anyone to take me under his wing to show me the ropes,' he said. 'I used to ask my coaches how I could develop, but it was more of a 'keep your mouth shut and move on' type of approach; no one seemed to like me asking these questions. 'Things didn't quite click at either club, and that's why I moved back to Darlington. I needed to get my love for the game back, and that's exactly what has happened.' At Darlington, Al-Shabeeb's coach is Steve Watson, the former Everton, Aston Villa and Newcastle United defender who spent 14 seasons in the Premier League. 'Steve is a guy that has reached levels that me and my teammates wish we can. He's also very honest and straight up. He took me in with no hesitation, and even though I felt pressure coming from a professional club in Saudi Arabia, he just let me play football. 'Even though we are in a league where teams like to kick it long, Steve wants us to play out from the back and actually play football. That's what suits me best.' Darlington play in the National League North, the sixth tier of English football, but Al-Shabeeb feels his experiences this season have left him better equipped to move back to Saudi Arabia. 'There are a few teams that have shown an interest from the Saudi First Division, and that is probably the best step for me right now,' Al-Shabeeb said. 'Obviously I would love to play in the Pro League, but there are so many great foreign players moving to Saudi Arabia now; in the First Division, there are more spots on the teams for Saudis, so it's better for me.' Al-Shabeeb admits it will be a wrench to leave Newcastle, his home for the majority of the past 17 years. But there remains an inextricable link between the city and Saudi Arabia; Al-Shabeeb has seen firsthand how the city has changed since the Saudi Public Investment Fund bought Newcastle United in 2021. 'It has been amazing since the takeover,' Al-Shabeeb said. 'When I first came to Newcastle in 2008 and people asked where I was from, I'd say, 'Saudi Arabia,' and they'd respond with, 'Where is that?' 'I remember I would just say, 'Near Dubai,' as more people had that as a reference point in the Middle East. There were never any other Saudis in school; we were the only ones. 'But since the takeover, I have seen so many more Saudis in Newcastle, it's mad. The city has a lot of love for Saudi Arabia because of how well the team is doing. Now when people find out I'm from Saudi, there is more of an understanding and of course people also love that I sound like a Geordie!'
Arab News
24-02-2025
- Sport
- Arab News
Casteels stands tall as Al-Qadsiah continue to rise in the Saudi Pro League
LONDON: Something special is happening at Al-Qadsiah this season. Since returning to the Saudi Pro League after a five-year absence, coach Michel's side — emboldened by a host of new summer arrivals — is defying expectations and stands on the brink of a historic campaign. Currently third in the Saudi Pro League table after a 2-0 win over Al-Okhdood on Friday and with a King's Cup semi-final against Al-Raed to come in April, Qadsiah have been one of the Kingdom's most consistent sides in 2024-2025. Just as he did when winning the Saudi First Division title last season, Michel has built a team that is defensively sound, but sprinkled liberally with attacking stardust. Providing Qadsiah's solidity between the posts this time around is Belgium national team goalkeeper Koen Casteels, who ended a nine-year stint at Wolfsburg to move to the Kingdom last summer. Casteels was one of several new arrivals, joining the likes of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Julian Quinones and Nacho Fernandez in seeing Qadsiah's potential to be more competitive than most normal newly-promoted sides. 'I think it was very clear from how the club talked to me before I signed, but also in the way they recruited other players, that there were big ambitions,' Casteels told Arab News. 'But simply getting good players is not enough in football. I think the recruitment was very smart in every position — not only big names but smart decisions. 'Now we have a team that fits together very well and I think that's one of the main reasons why we are now up there (at the top end of the table).' Casteels admitted that seeing the exodus of talented players such as Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema from Europe to Saudi Arabia piqued his interest in a move to the Kingdom, although he is keen to highlight the increasing depth in quality throughout the Saudi Pro League. 'It's very nice to play against these big names but I think it's far more than only these big names,' Casteels said. 'I think there are also a lot of players who maybe don't have the name of Ronaldo or Benzema but are just quality-wise very good; this is what you see in teams throughout the league — they all have good players. 'You see every transfer window that there are big names and good players coming to the league. That was also the point that made me say 'OK, why shouldn't I go?' Because the quality is improving and the league is getting better and better.' Casteels was one of Qadsiah's first summer acquisitions, announced before his participation in Euro 2024 with Belgium. It was followed by the marquee signings of Real Madrid stalwart Fernandez and former Barcelona and Arsenal forward Aubameyang, which really signalled Qadsiah's intent for the 2024-2025 campaign. 'On the pitch they bring a lot of quality, experience and know-how in certain situations,' Casteels said of Nacho and Aubameyang. 'Especially for me as a goalkeeper, it's great to have a guy like Nacho in front of me who knows exactly what to do in different situations — making smart decisions and positioning himself. 'It's very nice to play with those guys and obviously Auba is also scoring for us and doing well. Apart from the hard work that he does for us as a team, he's entertaining too. It's also nice to have a guy who is also speaking French. He's a really great guy. 'Some people maybe would think he's 35 and he's just ending his career in Saudi Arabia, but he's so hardworking. Every day I see him in the gym, still putting the work in. That's also very important because we want to evolve as a team and we want to grow as a team and therefore we need everybody on their top level. These guys are doing that.' With quality now running through the backbone of Qadsiah's team, the club is enjoying its best season in more than 30 years. Qadsiah won the Crown Prince's Cup in 1992, before adding the Saudi Federation Cup and Asian Cup Winners' Cup in 1994; they remain the club's only major trophies. But with a convincing 3-0 victory over Al-Taawoun last month, Casteels and Co. put Qadsiah into the King's Cup semi-finals for the first time since 1989. Now only Al-Raed stand in the club's way of a first final — in which either Al-Ittihad or Al-Shabab would await. 'If you're into the last four, I would lie if I say, 'let's only see in the next game',' Casteels said. 'Of course, if you're into the last four, you want to win the tournament. But it also depends on a lot of factors and it is really the next game we have to win to get into the final. Then everything is possible. 'I have had some experiences in Germany where you face a team which on paper is maybe not the biggest. But it's the cup and it's the semi-final of the cup so you have to take it as an extremely difficult game. I think when there are still four teams left, there are no easy games anymore. 'It's still a long way off so we will focus on the league and then the cup can come. But of course we are very hungry for it. I think all the players want to go into the final to see what happens there.' Whether or not Michel's side wins the King's Cup, their league form may still be enough to carry Qadsiah to qualification for their first AFC Champions League Elite campaign. Casteels, however, is keen to take it one game at a time. 'I think if you focus on trying to get better every game or every training then maybe this (AFC Champions League qualification) will come automatically if you're good enough. We are not thinking a lot about that to be honest at the moment — it's not a big talking point in the dressing room.' Casteels has been playing at the top level for his entire career — spending 13 years in Germany with Hoffenheim, Werder Bremen and Wolfsburg. Before that, he came through the academy of four-time Belgian Pro League winners Genk. The goalkeeper is in illustrious company, with fellow Belgian national team players Yannick Carrasco, Christian Benteke, Kevin De Bruyne and Thibaut Courtois also on Genk's impressive list of academy graduates. Casteels is the same age as Courtois, but played a year ahead of the Real Madrid goalkeeper as both players emerged at Genk. 'We both had games on the weekend, which was very important for our development,' Casteels recalled. 'I think he played one game for the Genk first team when he was 16 but then a few months later I went to Hoffenheim so we went our separate ways and had our own careers. 'It was nice to have him with me at Genk. We were friends — going to the same school, sitting in the same class. We grew up together in Genk and played in two different youth teams so there was not really competition. We trained together a few times and obviously it's nice to have quality goalkeepers because this also elevates you.' When it comes to world-class goalkeepers, however, there was one name who stood head and shoulders above the rest as a role model for Casteels growing up. 'I always looked up to Edwin van der Sar because he was doing his job in a very easy way,' Casteels said. 'He was always in the right position, good with his feet — and there was never too much show or shouting a lot. 'He was maybe not like the typical footballer — quite shy and with his feet on the ground. He would just do the job and I think this was something I could relate to.' At Qadsiah, Casteel has quickly built a reputation as a reliable No. 1 whose solidity has helped his team have the meanest defence in the Saudi Pro League this season. The Belgian has conceded just 15 goals, and kept 11 clean sheets, although he is quick to credit the contributions of others. 'One of our strengths this season and why we kept so many clean sheets is that the whole team is defending,' he says. 'The defence is doing well and they rely on the midfielders — then the midfielders rely on the attackers to press and run.' Casteels also believes the guidance from Michel has been key to the club's success so far this season and says that with the Spaniard at the helm, Qadsiah's players believe that anything is possible. 'He is a very good coach tactically but also a very good people manager,' Casteels said. 'He has a lot of experience and knows exactly what a team needs. He's a guy who you can always go to talk to about something. He's very open-minded — like a father to us. 'This team fits well together and tactically I have to say every time when we followed the plan of the coach that we trained for in the week, we felt that we were at the right pace, even if we didn't win. I can say that technically he was not wrong in any games — this is a great quality for any coach.'
