Noor Stands Up For Aqidi: A Keeper's Defense Amid a Saudi Pro League Tug-of-War

Context

Mohammed Noor, a former Al-Ittihad star, argues that Nawaf Al-Aqidi, the goalkeeper for Al-Nassr and the Saudi national team, is enduring a harsh campaign against him. Aqidi’s mistakes in pivotal moments—such as a costly slip leading to a goal in the 2-1 defeat to Al-Qadsiah and a red-card incident in the derby with Al-Hilal that left his team at a numerical disadvantage in a 3-1 loss—have amplified the scrutiny.

Noor's Defense

“There is a campaign against Aqidi,” Noor said in a television interview. “Let’s be honest… the attack on him is because he’s with Al-Nassr; if he played for another club, he wouldn’t face this campaign, yet he remains the national team’s first-choice goalkeeper and a foundational pillar.” He urged the Saudi Federation to intervene to shield Aqidi, insisting the criticism has been harsher than that aimed at other players, including leaders in the national setup.

“There should be intervention from the federation to protect Aqidi; if it were any other player, this would not have happened,” Noor added. He noted that the campaign against Aqidi is stronger than the criticisms leveled at stars from the national team’s leadership and argued there is a difference between support amid critique and leaving a goalkeeper to face such campaigns alone.

Looking Ahead

Noor also criticized a moment in the derby with Robin Neves, saying the incident did not merit a red card and was a routine clash. He shifted focus to the Roshn Saudi Pro League title race, stating that while Al-Hilal hasn’t sealed the championship, they benefit from every stumble by rivals as the season unfolds.

Punchline 1: If defending a goalkeeper were a sport, Noor would have a lifetime contract as the league’s human shield.

Punchline 2: And if critics were shots, Aqidi would be undefeated—because Noor keeps catching them all with style.