Al-Hamdan Unpacks the Green’s Scoring Woes: It’s a Team Issue, Not Just a Striker’s Tale

Sultan Mundesh expresses gratitude to Renard for his role in Saudi football’s development.

Abdullah Al-Hamdan, the Saudi forward, says the Green are always aiming to win the title in every competition they enter.

The team is gearing up for the Arab Cup 2025 in Qatar this December, placed in a group that includes Morocco alongside two other qualifiers from the regional playoffs (Oman vs Somalia and Yemen vs Comoros).

During the November camp, Saudi will play two friendlies against Ivory Coast and Algeria.

In a television interview on Tuesday, Al-Hamdan said that the goal is always to win the title in any tournament the team participates in, noting that Saudi has not claimed titles for a long time and is therefore chasing the Arab Cup with hope and determination. He added that a higher objective remains to prepare well for the 2026 World Cup.

The Saudi team had qualified for the World Cup finals via the Asian playoff round after beating Indonesia 3-2 in the first leg and drawing with Iraq.

Offensive Crisis

Asked about remarks by French coach Hervé Renard on an attacking crisis, Al-Hamdan said that scoring goals is not automatic and is the result of collective effort, not the work of the striker alone. He acknowledged that the attacking crisis has multiple facets, but they are trying to score as many goals as possible and help the team.

Al-Hamdan has one goal in 12 appearances this season for his club Al-Hilal, most of them as a substitute. Overall, the forward, 26, has played 142 matches for Al-Hilal with 13 goals and 10 assists. Internationally, he debuted under Renard in May 2019, has 39 caps with 10 goals and two assists. He was the Green’s top scorer in the most recent official tournament for the team, the Gulf Cup (Gulf 26), reaching the semi finals.

Saudi Talent

Described as one of Saudi Arabia’s most prominent forwards in recent years, Al-Hamdan is seen as a rising figure in the attacking line. Born on September 13, 1999 in Riyadh, he grew up in a sporting environment, began with the youth ranks at Al-Shabab, had a brief spell in Spain with Sporting Gijón’s youth, before returning to feature for Al-Shabab’s first team in 2018 where he drew attention for his movement and finishing.

In 2021 he moved to Al-Hilal, facing stiff competition for starting roles and spending many games on the bench due to other big names in his position. Yet he has consistently delivered whenever given a chance, especially in matches that require a striker who can position himself well in the box and finish chances accurately.

For the national team, he progressed through the youth ranks to the senior side, with influential goals in regional competitions like the Gulf Cup. He is known for his physical prowess, height for aerial duels, finishing ability, and pace in the box, and can operate as a pure number nine or in behind-the-striker roles depending on instructions.

Renard’s Trust

Separately, Sultan Mundesh, a player for Al-Taawoun, expressed gratitude to Renard for including him in this November gathering, saying it is a great honor to wear the national jersey and that the coach’s trust is a sign of his ambition to represent Saudi Arabia.

He added that the two friendlies should help the squad prepare for the Arab Cup, and that Mundesh has established himself in the Saudi Pro League with a balanced blend of speed and technique, capable of playing across the front line or in attacking midfield.

Mundesh, born October 17, 1994 in Jeddah, started at the youth ranks of Al-Ittihad, had spells at several clubs including Al-Fayha and Al-Fateh, and now plays for Al-Taawoun. He excels at versatile forward roles, whether on the right or left wing, and sometimes as an attacking midfielder. He relies on pace and direct dribbling, with a clear attacking instinct that can create chances for teammates or finish himself. He also shows good tactical discipline, tracking back in defense and pressing when the ball is lost.

And here comes a little levity: if scoring were a GPS, the Green would finally get a signal after rebooting 37 times a season. And if a shot could talk, it would beg to be aimed a little higher, because local nets enjoy a good crowd-pleasing top corner. Finally, remember that a team is only as strong as its last shot saved—so keep your keepers honest and your strikers hungrier than a pre-match warm-up cookie.