Explaining the magic of Al Hilal and Saudi Arabia winger Salem Al Dawsari

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  • A maverick, mazy dribbler has fuelled Saudi Arabia’s resurgence and sent Al Hilal towards treasured success.

    Salem Al Dawsari has netted at the World Cup and Club World Cup, while also bagging a crucial goal in the 2019 AFC Champions League finals. The Jeddah-native’s exuberant talents even pitted him against Real Madrid during 2017/18’s formative loan spell at Villarreal.

    His deep reserve of stylish flicks and sublime tricks have been showcased during almost a decade of bamboozling Asian defences.

    What makes the 28-year-old winger a defining talent of this outstanding generation? A year to the day since his finest individual moment, Sport360 takes a look, with the help of Wyscout, into what makes the Middle Eastern master tick…

    BEGINNINGS

    Special talents find special ways to announce themselves.

    A 20-year-old Al Dawsari decamped from the substitutes’ bench in November 2011 to debut on enemy territory in the heated derby at Al Nassr. Fast forward 12 minutes and the final goal in a 3-0 rout was slotted in at the near post by the undaunted starlet.

    How did he get to this point? A series of fateful incidents sent him into Hilal’s grateful arms.

    Al Dawsari was born in Saudi Arabia’s second city, Jeddah, in August 1991. But rather than follow the usual path of signing for local giants Al Ahli or Al Ittihad, his teacher father’s transfer to take up a new posting in Riyadh during primary schooling took him away from their sphere.

    Salem Al Dawsari (c) celebrates his goal versus Flamengo at the 2019 Club World Cup.

    Salem Al Dawsari (c) celebrates his goal versus Flamengo at the 2019 Club World Cup.

    An ascent to the top of Saudi football, however, was not without its hitches.

    Al Faisaly were reported to have turned down a teenage Al Dawsari after his training stint and, in a portentous move, Nassr would make a similarly calamitous decision.

    Hilal would not repeat their mistakes. This show of faith has been richly rewarded.

    WHAT MAKES HIM SO SPECIAL?

    Al Dawsari is both decisive and imaginative.

    Lessons learned in La Liga – as one of nine Saudis temporarily sent to Spain ahead of World Cup 2018 – also added necessary maturity, ensuring his play is now less self-indulgent.

    He has risen beyond the shadow cast by contemporary Nawaf Al Abed, striking out on his own stellar course towards legendary status.

    Comparisons, albeit on a lower level, can be applied to Brazil and Paris Saint-Germain mega star Neymar.

    Another relevant benchmark is Saudi Arabia’s World Cup 1994 maestro Saeed Al Owairan, one of the most-beguiling dribblers ever produced by Asia and whose astonishing solo effort against Sweden was voted the sixth best in FIFA’s Goal of the Century rankings.

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    Salem Al Dawsari’s 2019/20 Saudi Professional League statistics.

    Al Dawsari, although a far-less frequent scorer, inspires wonderment when on the ball, fathoms the unfathomable and does this all with an air – bordering on arrogance – of devilment.

    A status as the Saudi Professional League’s dribbler par excellence is emphasised by a 68.5-per-cent success rate in 2019/20. Only club-mate Yasser Al Shahrani – a willing foil from left-back – can beat it.

    This is 10-per-cent better than 2018/19’s figure (58.5 per cent). Al Dawsari also recorded five goals and three assists in that SPL campaign across 23 appearances.

    He’s only got two of each in 2019/20, yet this is at a similar ratio because of injuries (2019/20 – 0.2 goals and assists per game; 2018/19 0.23 goals and 0.14 assists).

    Another statistic that stands out is the 88-per-cent dribble success rate (seven from eight attempts) in the 1-0 group-stage loss at World Cup 2018 recorded against Uruguay’s ironclad defence.

    BIG IMPACT

    Al Dawsari doesn’t rack up sensational tallies.

    These is exemplified by an unspectacular return of 28 strikes in 149 SPL run-outs.

    For Hilal, ex-France centre forward Bafetimbi Gomis plunders goals and former Italy maestro Sebastian Giovinco dominates the assist.

    Al Dawsari is, instead, a footballing artisan who crafts vivid memories when in possession.

    This month’s first-time looped pass for Peru international Andre Carrillo’s headed clincher versus Ettifaq (below) was the latest in a long line of inspired moments.

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    These include a staggering opening goal for Saudi Arabia in 2012 against Australia, cutting inside from the left wing, extravagantly dribbling past two opponents and firing into the bottom corner from 25 yards. A give-and-go, plus composed one-on-one finish, against the same opponent followed five years later.

    When it comes to impact, the inventive wide man is a class apart.

    No other Saudi can state they’ve struck a World Cup winner, influential ACL final goal, opener in a Club World Cup clash and experienced a competitive run-out versus Los Blancos.

    This is a rare talent for an attacker typically tasked with generating chances, rather than dispatching them.

    His acrobatics in celebration after a winning 95th-minute volley against Egypt at World Cup 2018 is one of the iconic moments in Saudi sporting history, while dreams of ending a 19-year wait to become continental kings bloomed with his second-half tap-in from Giovinco’s centre in this winter’s continental showpiece second-leg at Japan’s Urawa Red Diamonds.

    Al Dawsari also was on hand to force a deflected opener in December’s CWC quarter-final versus Copa Libertadores holders Flamengo.

    There is, however, no question about the emblematic moment from his career to date…

    A GOAL TO DEFINE HIS GENIUS

    March 29, 2019 is a date not looked back on with any fondness by Hilal.

    Brazil centre-back Bruno Uvini’s 97th-minute header earned an epic 3-2 victory for Nassr in the Riyadh derby, a result that would later confirm their coronation as champions.

    But the majestic goal conjured by Al Dawsari that made the scoreline 2-2 in the 79th minute stands as a modern great.

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    An uncharacteristically slack touch sent Al Dawsari wide and made Nassr right-back Sultan Al Ghanam a clear favourite.

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    A defender will be punished, however, by the slightest mistake when Al Dawsari is present. Al Ghanam attempted to get touch tight and exert control on the situation, but instead barges into Al Dawsari and propels him away.

    The swift-thinking Al Dawsari uses this momentum to drop a shoulder and charge towards the goal line.

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    Statuesque Saudi Arabia goalkeeper Waleed Abdullah and his outstretched leg awaited Al Dawsari, with barely any room to manoeuvre. A substantial obstacle for most footballers in such an enclosed space.

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    Al Dawsari is not most footballers. A roll of his studs over the top of the ball at lightning pace got him past Abdullah in breathtaking fashion.

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    All that was then left was to turn on the afterburners and smash the ball into an open goal before left-back Abdulrahman Al Obaid could get across to cover.

    The move in full motion looked like this:

    THE KINGDOM’S LEADER ON THE PITCH

    It has been an eventful spell for Saudi Arabia.

    Since January 2018, they have; played at the World Cup for the first time in 12 years, been led by two different head coaches, struggled to identity an attacking figurehead and been denied the services of Al Ittihad’s Fahad Al Muwallad because of a doping ban.

    Al Dawsari’s brilliance, however, has remained constant.

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    His seven goals – bringing his total to 11 in 51 caps – is the most notched by any Saudi throughout this period and three more than nearest compatriots Al Muwallad, plus Hilal club-mates Hattan Bahebri and Salman Al Faraj.

    These include the aforementioned strike against Egypt that gained a 2-1 victory versus Egypt. This was the Green Falcons’ first at the World Cup since June 1994, 12 games and 24 years prior.

    Fast forward to 2019 and it is clear that Renard owes a debt of gratitude to his star winger. Al Dawsari’s goals prevented a debut friendly loss to Mali, embarrassing defeat to Yemen in World Cup 2022 qualifying and secured an invaluable three-point haul in Uzbekistan with a 90th-minute decider.

    CONCLUSION

    A long line of lauded footballers have been produced by the Kingdom.

    It is a hallowed list that contains the like of relentless striker Majed Abdullah, unbeatable goalkeeper Mohamed Al Deayea, the enigmatic Al Oraiwan and lionised former Wolverhampton Wanderers loanee Sami Al Jaber.

    Al Dawsari is, not quite, worthy of joining their exalted company yet. But with prime years that promise an ACL title defence, tilt at World Cup 2022 and the 2023 Asian Cup, it is not outlandish to think he can.

    The pause in play across the globe is painful for all. It is magical players like Al Dawsari who make the absence hardest, but will create the greatest joy on the cherished day when play resumes.

    Salem Al Dawsari (2nd r) nets against Egypt at World Cup 2018.

    Salem Al Dawsari (2nd r) nets against Egypt at World Cup 2018.

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