Salem Al-Dawsari

Lore & Background

Al-Dawsari was born in Jeddah and joined Al Hilal's youth academy at the age of 14. He made his debut for Al Hilal in 2010, at the age of 19. Apart from one year on loan at Villarreal as part of a deal between the Saudi Arabian Football Federation and La Liga, he has spent his entire career at Al Hilal. He made one league appearance for Villarreal, coming on as a substitute against Real Madrid as the Yellow Submarine came from behind to draw 2–2. In the second leg of the 2019 AFC Champions League final on 24 November, Al-Dawsari scored the opening goal in an eventual 2–0 away win over Urawa Red Diamonds, which saw Al-Hilal win the title following a 3–0 aggregate victory; the title allowed them to qualify for the 2019 FIFA Club World Cup. On 7 February 2023, Al-Dawsari scored two penalties against Brazilian club Flamengo in the semi-finals of the 2022 FIFA Club World Cup. Al Hilal won 3–2, becoming the first Saudi Arabian club to reach the final of the Club World Cup. On 27 June 2025, Al-Dawsari scored in a 2–0 win over Mexican club Pachuca in the final group stage match of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, becoming the top Asian goalscorer in the history of the Club World Cup with 5 goals, surpassing Tsukasa Shiotani (4). In October that year, he achieved his second AFC Player of the Year award, becoming the first Saudi player to achieve this feat. Al-Dawsari was called up to the Saudi Arabia national team for the 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, and scored his first international goal in an away match against Australia in 2014. In May 2018, he was named in Saudi Arabia's preliminary squad for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. On 25 June, Al-Dawsari scored a late winning goal as his side won 2–1 over Egypt in their last group stage match of the World Cup. On 22 November 2022, Al-Dawsari scored his second goal at a FIFA World Cup, his first at the 2022 edition in Qatar in a match against Argentina. He made a run around the box before finishing past Emiliano Martínez to put Saudi Arabia ahead by a score of 2–1, which ended in a remarkable and historic victory for the Saudi Arabia national team. On 30 November, Al-Dawsari scored a goal against Mexico, in which he equalled the record of most goals scored by a Saudi player in World Cups, three goals by Sami Al-Jaber, as Saudi Arabia exited the World Cup with a 2–1 loss to Mexico. On 8 October 2025, he made his 100th

In Their Own Story

The Riyadh lights hummed against the night sky as the stadium filled with chants. Al-Dawsari stood over the ball at the edge of the box, the weight of thousands resting on his shoulders. He took a breath, adjusted his green jersey, and struck. The ball curled perfectly past the wall, dipping into the top corner to silence the opposition. In that moment, he wasn't just a player; he was the heartbeat of Al Hilal.

Reader's Guide

Salem Al-Dawsari is a left winger and captain for Al-Hilal and the Saudi Arabia national team. He has spent nearly his entire career at Al-Hilal, with a brief loan at Villarreal. Key achievements include winning the AFC Champions League in 2019 and 2021, scoring in multiple FIFA Club World Cups, and becoming the top Asian goalscorer in Club World Cup history. He has also won two AFC Player of the Year awards (2022 and 2025) and scored memorable World Cup goals against Egypt (2018), Argentina (2022), and Mexico (2022).

Did You Know?

• Al-Dawsari scored the opening goal in the 2019 AFC Champions League final second leg, helping Al-Hilal win 3–0 on aggregate.
• He scored two penalties in the 2022 FIFA Club World Cup semi-final against Flamengo, making Al-Hilal the first Saudi club to reach the final.
• Al-Dawsari became the top Asian goalscorer in FIFA Club World Cup history with 5 goals in June 2025.
• He is the first Saudi player to win the AFC Player of the Year award twice (2022 and 2025).
• His goal against Argentina in the 2022 World Cup gave Saudi Arabia a historic 2–1 victory.