Mohammed Al-Sahlawi

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Al-Sahlawi began his career at Al-Qadsiah, where he broke into the first team in the 2006–07 season. He was loaned to Al-Fateh, scoring one goal in five matches, before returning to Al-Qadsiah and finishing as top scorer in the Saudi First Division in 2008. He moved to Al-Nassr in 2009 for SR32 million ($8 million), breaking Yasser Al-Qahtani's record as the largest deal in Saudi football history. In his first season with Al-Nassr, he scored 21 goals in 36 matches and received the Young Player of the Year award from STC. In 2015, he was selected as one of the world's best top goalscorers by the IFFHS. On 29 March 2018, it was confirmed he would spend three weeks training with Manchester United ahead of the 2018 FIFA World Cup. He later played for Al-Shabab, Muaither, Al-Hazem, and Al-Safa.

In Their Own Story

The turning point in Al-Sahlawi's career at Al-Nassr arrived with his transfer from Al-Qadsiah in 2009. The SR32 million fee signaled a new era for the club, and he delivered instantly by scoring 21 goals in 36 matches. His most prolific domestic season came in 2014–15 when he netted 25 goals in 37 appearances, helping Al-Nassr retain their league title. He also shone on the continental stage during the 2011 AFC Champions League; although the team was eliminated 4–1 by Zob Ahan in the round of 16, Al-Sahlawi found the net in a 2–1 win over Esteghlal and contributed to a 4–0 victory against Pakhtakor alongside Bader Al-Mutawa. His era at the club concluded in 2018 when he moved to rival Al-Shabab after Abderrazak Hamdallah joined, ending a tenure defined by record-breaking goal tallies and domestic silverware.

Reader's Guide

Al-Sahlawi is a striker known for his goal-scoring ability. He scored his first senior hat-trick on 3 September 2015 in a 7–0 defeat of Timor-Leste in a 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifier, and scored five goals on 17 November 2015 in a 10–0 drubbing of Timor-Leste. He was named in Saudi Arabia's final squad for the 2018 FIFA World Cup on 4 June.

Did You Know?

• Al-Sahlawi scored his first goal for the national team in the 2006 AFC Youth Championship against Iraq U-20 in the 52nd minute.
• He scored 18 goals and registered 8 assists in his return season to Al-Qadsiah after a loan spell.
• Al-Sahlawi's transfer to Al-Nassr in 2009 for SR32 million broke the domestic transfer record.
• He was selected as one of the world's best top goalscorers by the IFFHS in 2015.