Salem Al-Dawsari


Salem Mohammed Shafi Al-Dawsari is a Saudi Arabian professional footballer who plays as a left winger and captains for both Saudi Pro League club Al-Hilal and the Saudi Arabia national team.
IG 29salem

Early and personal life

Al-Dawsari was born in Jeddah and joined Al Hilal's youth academy at the age of 14.

Club career

Al-Dawsari 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.
Al-Dawsari 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. In October that year, he achieved his second AFC Player of the Year award, becoming the first Saudi player to achieve this feat.

International career

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 international appearance in a 3–2 win over Indonesia during the 2026 World Cup qualification fourth round.

Career statistics

International

No.DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
1.29 February 2012Melbourne Rectangular Stadium, Melbourne, Australia1–02–42014 FIFA World Cup qualification
2.23 November 2014King Fahd Stadium, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia3–23–22014 Arabian Gulf Cup
3.8 June 2017Adelaide Oval, Adelaide, Australia1–12–32018 FIFA World Cup qualification
4.7 October 2017King Abdullah Sports City, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia1–05–2Friendly
5.15 May 2018La Cartuja, Seville, Spain1–02–0Friendly
6.25 June 2018Volgograd Arena, Volgograd, Russia2–12–12018 FIFA World Cup
7.10 September 2018Prince Faisal bin Fahd Stadium, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia2–02–2Friendly
8.8 January 2019Maktoum Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Stadium, Dubai, United Arab Emirates3–04–02019 AFC Asian Cup
9.5 September 2019Prince Mohamed bin Fahd Stadium, Dammam, Saudi Arabia1–11–1Friendly
10.10 September 2019Bahrain National Stadium, Riffa, Bahrain2–22–22022 FIFA World Cup qualification
11.14 November 2019Pakhtakor Stadium, Tashkent, Uzbekistan3–23–22022 FIFA World Cup qualification
12.14 November 2020Prince Faisal bin Fahd Stadium, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia1–03–0Friendly
13.30 March 2021King Saud University Stadium, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia5–05–02022 FIFA World Cup qualification
14.5 June 2021King Saud University Stadium, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia1–03–02022 FIFA World Cup qualification
15.11 June 2021King Saud University Stadium, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia1–03–02022 FIFA World Cup qualification
16.2 September 2021King Saud University Stadium, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia1–13–12022 FIFA World Cup qualification
17.29 March 2022King Abdullah Sports City, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia1–01–02022 FIFA World Cup qualification
18.22 November 2022Lusail Iconic Stadium, Lusail, Qatar2–12–12022 FIFA World Cup
19.30 November 2022Lusail Iconic Stadium, Lusail, Qatar1–21–22022 FIFA World Cup
20.24 March 2023Prince Abdullah Al-Faisal Stadium, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia1–21–2Friendly
21.28 March 2023Prince Abdullah Al-Faisal Stadium, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia1–11–2Friendly
22.17 October 2023Estádio Municipal de Portimão, Portimão, Portugal1–21–3Friendly
23.21 March 2024King Saud University Stadium, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia1–01–02026 FIFA World Cup qualification
24.28 December 2024Jaber Al-Ahmad International Stadium, Kuwait City, Kuwait1–03–126th Arabian Gulf Cup
25.20 March 2025King Saud University Stadium, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia1–01–02026 FIFA World Cup qualification
26.5 December 2025Al Bayt Stadium, Al Khor, Qatar3–13–12025 FIFA Arab Cup

Honours

Al-Hilal
Individual