When Al Hilal booked their place in the Round of 16 at the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup with a 2-0 win over Mexico’s Pachuca, much of the post-match discussion inevitably centred on one man: Salem Al-Dawsari. The 33-year-old winger, long heralded as the face of Saudi Arabian football, was once again the decisive figure on the biggest stage, as he has been so often for both club and country.

In a side boasting João Cancelo, Ruben Neves, Sergej Milinković-Savić, and Aleksandar Mitrović, it is perhaps fitting that the man who stole the headlines in Nashville was the one homegrown star – a Saudi international wearing the captain’s armband not out of ceremony, but out of consequence.

Al-Dawsari’s deft 22nd-minute chip over Sebastián Jurado broke the deadlock and provided Al Hilal with their first goal from open play in the tournament. The moment oozed quality and calm – a composed finish under pressure, crafted from a beautifully cushioned pass by namesake Nasser Al-Dawsari. The goal did more than just send Al Hilal into the knockout rounds: it reaffirmed Al-Dawsari’s status as a man built for the big occasion.

Al Hilal's Local Legend Amidst Foreign Firepower

In recent years, Al Hilal’s squad has transformed into a who’s who of European elite, thanks in no small part to Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund. Yet for all the high-profile arrivals, Al-Dawsari remains the team’s beating heart – a player whose leadership is felt not only through the captain’s armband but through his relentless work rate, creative output, and impeccable sense of timing.

Against Pachuca, Al Hilal were not at their free-flowing best. Simone Inzaghi’s men started brightly but faded in intensity after the opener, allowing their Mexican opponents far too much control in the latter stages. It took Yassine Bounou’s sharp reflexes and a goal-line clearance from Eduardo Bauermann to keep the clean sheet intact, before Marcos Leonardo added late gloss with a clinical stoppage-time strike.

But it was Al-Dawsari who ensured his side would not fall short on a humid night in Nashville. He was named Man of the Match – not for the first time – and his contributions extended beyond the scoreboard. He tracked back tirelessly, recovered possession in midfield, and constantly looked to initiate attacking transitions.

Numbers and Narrative

Al-Dawsari’s resume now reads like that of a Saudi footballing deity. The first Saudi national to win the AFC Champions League Golden Boot. The all-time assist leader in Roshn Saudi League history. A two-time Asian Player of the Year and the leading Saudi scorer at the FIFA World Cup – currently tied with national legend Sami Al-Jaber.

In the 2024-25 season alone, he scored 26 goals and added 18 assists across all competitions. His Champions League campaign included a 30-minute hat-trick against Al Ain and goals in every knockout round up to the semi-final. In RSL play, he has already tallied 15 goals and sits atop the all-time assists chart with 54.

He is not just a big-game player – he is the game-changer. And unlike many of his superstar teammates, he does it all with the weight of national expectations on his shoulders.

Looking Ahead: Al Hilal vs Manchester City

Al Hilal’s reward for finishing second in Group H is a Round of 16 clash with Manchester City – a rematch of the 2023 UEFA Champions League final for Inzaghi and Guardiola. But for Al-Dawsari, the duel carries more personal weight. A potential clash with former teammate João Cancelo awaits, and Al-Dawsari’s injury scare in the second half against Pachuca has sparked concern over his availability.

Should he recover in time, the Riyadh-born talisman will once again be tasked with carrying Saudi hopes against the reigning European champions. Al Hilal have never progressed beyond the semi-finals in their Club World Cup history, but with Al-Dawsari on the pitch, they’ve always had a fighting chance.

Saudi Arabia’s Road to USA–Mexico–Canada 2026

Beyond club duty, Al‑Dawsari’s focus shifts to the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers. Saudi Arabia finished third in their AFC third-round group and narrowly missed automatic qualification — now entering the playoff-style fourth round in October 2025 to fight for a World Cup berth .

A Star Who Never Needed Importing

Salem Al-Dawsari doesn’t just belong on a team of international superstars – he defines it. In an age of imported brilliance, he is Al Hilal’s most irreplaceable player: homegrown, battle-tested, and endlessly clutch. As Al Hilal prepare to face Manchester City in a modern-day David vs Goliath fixture, it is not Cancelo or Neves that Guardiola will worry most about – it’s Al-Dawsari.

Because when the lights are brightest and the stakes at their highest, Salem Al-Dawsari is never far from centre stage.