AFC
Midfielder Faisal Al Ghamdi is setting his sights on helping Saudi Arabia make a deep run into the AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023 as the three-time champions look to claim the continental title for the first time since 1996.
Buoyed by their performance at the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, when the Saudis secured a famous win over eventual champions Argentina in their opening game of the tournament, Al Ghamdi believes the Green Falcons can have a significant impact over the coming month.
“We want to make the nation proud and go as far as possible,” says the 22-year-old Al Ittihad midfielder. “The 2022 FIFA World Cup showed that anything is possible and that we can compete with the very best.
“Confidence is growing heading into the competition. We’ve made a bright start to our 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign with wins against Pakistan and Jordan. The aim now is to carry this momentum forward into the tournament.”
Much has changed for Saudi Arabia since goals from Saleh Al Shehri and Salem Al Dawsari took Saudi Arabia to victory at Lusail Stadium against Lionel Messi’s side in their first game of the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Renard departed in March to take charge of his native France ahead of last year’s FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023 with serial trophy winner Roberto Mancini taking over in his place Results have been mixed, however, since the Italian arrived in August.
Losses against Costa Rica and Korea Republic were followed by a draw with Nigeria and a defeat against Mali before back-to-back wins in the Preliminary Joint Qualification – Round 2 for the FIFA World Cup 2026 and AFC Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2027 over Pakistan and Jordan.
Al Ghamdi featured in central midfield for the first time under Mancini against the Nigerians and was also in the line-up in the 4-0 victory over Pakistan before making a late substitute appearance against Jordan as the Saudis made a perfect start to life in Group G.
Next up is the AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023, where S Arabia have been drawn in Group F to face Thailand, Kyrgyz Republic and Oman as the country attempts to add a fourth crown to those won in 1984, 1988 and 1996.
“It will be tough, but we have some great players, excellent coaching staff, and a top-class manager in Roberto Mancini alongside incredible support wherever we play,” Al Ghamdi says of the task at hand.
“The ingredients are there for us to be successful and have a good tournament. “The manager has shown his trust in me and I hope we can push forward together as a team.”
Al Ghamdi’s inclusion in Mancini’s squad for the AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023 comes as a result of his impressive form since signing for Al Ittihad from Al Ettifaq over the summer, a move that has seen him join a club featuring a host of leading foreign and domestic stars.
Despite the array of talent at the club, Al Ghamdi has played 20 times in all competitions, including in four of his side’s five AFC Champions League 2023/24 group games as the club secured their place in February’s knockout rounds.
“I joined Al Ittihad from Al Ettifaq in the summer and for any young player here in Saudi Arabia, the opportunity to join one of the biggest clubs in Saudi is a dream,” he says.
“I’ll always be grateful for my time at Al Ettifaq. It was there where I took my first steps in professional football and took my game to new levels. When I heard of Al Ittihad’s interest, it felt the right time to take the next step in my career.
“I’m loving my time here. We have some tremendous young talent alongside world-class international players like N’golo Kante, Fabinho, and Karim Benzema.”
“Playing alongside them, training with them every day and learning from them, is really supporting our development – as individuals and a team.
“There’s so much we can achieve together at Al Ittihad. We want to compete on all fronts – domestically and regionally. We know we have the ability to play in the FIFA Club World Cup again in the future and it’s up to us to go and do that.”
