Latest news with #SalemAlDawsari
Al Arabiya
4 days ago
- General
- Al Arabiya
Exclusive Bahrain coach Dragan Talajic eyes Saudi Arabia upset and dreams of World Cup
When Bahrain faces Saudi Arabia in a crunch 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier on Thursday, it is aiming to do more than just end its neighbors hopes of an automatic spot at the tournament. Bahrain has twice suffered heartache at the final hurdle in its bid to play in a maiden FIFA World Cup – losing intercontinental play-offs to Trinidad and Tobago in 2006 and New Zealand in 2010; now, current coach Dragan Talajic is determined to make history for the Gulf nation. On paper, Thursday's clash with Bahrain should be straightforward for Herve Renard's side. Saudi Arabia is a three-time Asian champion with a domestic league that is now watched all over the world – containing some of the planet's finest players. In this season's AFC Champions League Elite, the Kingdom provided both the winner in Al Ahli and the competition's top scorer in Salem al-Dawsari. 'Al-Dawsari is unbelievably talented,' Bahrain coach Talajic told Al Arabiya English in an exclusive interview. 'He is a strong player, a beautiful attacking player who has been in great form in the Saudi Pro League. 'But we cannot concentrate only on Salem al-Dawsari. Saudi Arabia has very good players, a very good coach and of course a lot of respect from me. But we know what we will try to do to stop al-Dawsari; we have to play like a team to try to control space. Football is a game of 11 against 11.' Despite the apparent disparity between the two nations on the pitch, Bahrain has only lost one of its past six matches against the Green Falcons – a record that stretches back to 2014. Talajic's team held Saudi Arabia to a 0-0 draw in Jeddah last October and then went a step further in December by claiming a 3-2 victory in the group stage of the Arabian Gulf Cup – a tournament that Bahrain went on to win. The 0-0 World Cup qualifying draw was a particularly special moment for Talajic as it represented a return to Jeddah, a city in which he is fondly remembered. In 2004, the Croatian coach led Al Ittihad to its first ever AFC Champions League title as Talajic and his players overturned a 3-1 first leg defeat to Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma – winning 5-0 in South Korea to lift the trophy in spectacular style. 'These are unbelievable memories,' Talajic said of the 2004 final. 'This was a long time ago but really was the start of my journey winning trophies in my career. I am so proud of what we achieved at Al Ittihad. 'Back then I was young and just at the start of my coaching career but we managed to have this incredible result – the 5-0 win, which is still a record [AFC Champions League final score]. I still have a close relationship with Al Ittihad and I am happy to see the team performing well again this year with Benzema.' The AFC Champions League was Talajic's first piece of silverware, but certainly not his last. The 59-year-old has spent much of the past two decades in the Gulf, winning trophies at Al Wahdat in Jordan, and Al Kuwait and Al Khalidya in Bahrain. Most recently, he led the Bahrain national team to only its second Arabian Gulf Cup triumph. 'We went there as underdog because I think this was maybe the strongest ever Gulf Cup; seven of the eight countries are playing in the last round of qualification for the World Cup and all of them had full teams. 'I don't think anybody else thought we would win but I certainly believed we could do it and I'm really proud about what my boys did in this tournament.' On its way to victory, Bahrain beat Saudi Arabia 3-2 in the group stage – a result that fills Talajic with confidence ahead of this week's World Cup qualifying encounter. 'I think we took Saudi Arabia by surprise then and we will also prepare for this next game in a good way,' Talajic explained. 'The confidence is increasing a lot among the players – not just because of the Gulf Cup but this World Cup qualification too. 'You can see that they are trusting themselves more because we are performing well against these big teams like Japan, Saudi Arabia and Australia. A big credit goes to my staff too – I want to thank them because every success we have now is down to them. Of course I make the final decisions but without the whole team, we will do nothing.' Bahrain is currently fifth in Group C, three points behind fourth-placed Indonesia. The teams that finish third and fourth will progress to the Fourth Round of qualifying and while Talajic knows it will not be easy, he insists his players are capable of moving a step closer to a first FIFA World Cup. 'We are in a more difficult situation but our future is in our hands,' Talajic said. 'If we win these next two games against Saudi Arabia and China, we have qualified for the next round. We have our dream and we are in this together. 'We will do our job, do our best and I believe in my boys. I also believe in all the support of Bahraini people and I think we have a beautiful chance to reach the World Cup with Bahrain.'
Saudi Gazette
29-05-2025
- Sport
- Saudi Gazette
Salem Al Dawsari wins Best Saudi Player award for 2024–25 season
Saudi Gazette report RIYADH — Salem Al Dawsari has been named Best Saudi Player of the 2024–25 Roshn Saudi League season, capping off a stellar campaign that reaffirmed his status as one of the most influential players in Saudi football. The Roshn League announced the award on Wednesday, highlighting that the Al Hilal winger delivered arguably the best season of his career. Al Dawsari was directly involved in 30 goals between scoring and assisting, despite his team falling short of silverware this year. Known for his technical skill, vision, and leadership, Al Dawsari remained a constant threat in attack and a stabilizing force in the dressing room. His performances helped steady Al Hilal during a season of mixed results, keeping the club competitive through pivotal matches. The 32-year-old has long been a cornerstone of both club and country. He was a standout for Saudi Arabia in the 2022 FIFA World Cup and is expected to play a key role in the national team's 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign, as well as Hilal's upcoming AFC Champions League Elite participation. This latest individual accolade adds to Al Dawsari's already decorated résumé and reinforces his reputation as one of the top talents of the past decade in Saudi football.
Saudi Gazette
20-05-2025
- Sport
- Saudi Gazette
Al Hilal renews Salem Al Dawsari's contract until 2027
Saudi Gazette report RIYADH — Al Hilal have announced the contract renewal of club captain Salem Al Dawsari, extending his stay until the summer of 2027. The agreement comes just months before the expiration of his previous deal, which had entered its final six months in January. The renewal follows prolonged negotiations, with the club determined to meet Al Dawsari's demands and secure the future of one of its most influential players. The winger reportedly received competitive offers, including a two-year deal from Al Qadsiah and a three-year proposal from Al Diriyah. Ultimately, Al Hilal retained his services with a two-year extension. Al Dawsari, 32, has enjoyed one of the finest seasons of his career, leading by example both on and off the pitch. He was crowned the top scorer of the AFC Champions League Elite, while also netting 15 goals in the Saudi Pro League so far this season, with two rounds still to impact has gone beyond scoring, contributing regularly in assists and key chances created. To mark the renewal, Al Hilal released a video titled ' The story continues...' on their official X (formerly Twitter) account. The montage highlighted key milestones in Al Dawsari's career — including his iconic goal against Argentina at the 2022 FIFA World Cup, his continental triumph with Al Hilal in the AFC Champions League, and his 2022 Asian Player of the Year award.
Saudi Gazette
20-05-2025
- Sport
- Saudi Gazette
Benzema, Ronaldo, Al Dawsari lead 2025 Roshn League MVP shortlist
Saudi Gazette report RIYADH — The Saudi Pro League announced the five-man shortlist for the 2025 Roshn League Player of the Season award on Monday, headlined by title-winning striker Karim Benzema and global icons Cristiano Ronaldo and Salem Al Dawsari. Benzema, 37, delivered a vintage campaign to lead Al Ittihad to the league crown, scoring 21 goals and providing nine assists in 28 appearances. The Frenchman, who received just one yellow card all season, played a decisive role in key matches to seal his club's 14th top-flight title. Al Hilal captain Salem Al Dawsari was also nominated after another consistent season. The 34-year-old winger featured in 30 matches, contributing 15 goals and 14 assists as he pushed his team to a second-place for his discipline and work ethic, Al Dawsari picked up only two yellow cards across the Ronaldo, now 40, continued to defy age with another prolific year for Al Portuguese star registered 23 goals and three assists in 28 appearances, maintaining his status as one of the league's most dangerous Al Ahli, Brazilian center-back Roger Ibañez earned a spot on the list after anchoring his side's defense in a standout 30 appearances, he contributed five goals from the back line and collected seven yellow cards without being sent the shortlist is Argentine forward Cristian Guanca of Al 32-year-old was a model of consistency, tallying 10 goals and 11 assists across 32 games — all while maintaining a spotless disciplinary winner will be announced in the league's end-of-season awards ceremony.
Arab News
19-05-2025
- Sport
- Arab News
SPL announces five nominees for Player of the Season award
RIYADH: The Technical Committee of the Roshn Saudi League has selected five nominees for the Player of the Season award as announced by the league's official account on the social media platform X, SPL_EN. The shortlist includes French striker Karim Benzema from Al-Ittihad, Al-Hilal winger Salem Al-Dawsari, Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo—the captain of Al-Nassr—Brazilian defender Roger Ibanez from Al-Ahli, and Argentine midfielder Cristian Guanca of Al-Shabab. The selection was based on the league's eligibility criteria, which require nominees to have participated in at least 40% of their team's total league matches, regardless of position or nationality. The winner will be determined through a voting process distributed as follows: 40% from coaches, 40% from team captains, 15% from sports media professionals, and 5% from fans. In terms of performance stats: Benzema played 28 matches, scoring 21 goals and providing 9 assists. Ronaldo also played 28 matches, recording 23 goals and 3 assists. Al-Dawsari contributed 15 goals and 14 assists in 30 matches. Guanca appeared in a team-high 32 matches, scoring 10 goals and assisting 11. Ibanez stood out defensively, leading Al-Ahli's backline in 30 matches, helping the team keep 8 clean sheets, making 121 clearances, and achieving a 75% success rate in tackles.
