One Step Away: Nawaf Al-Aqidi Poised for a Comeback with Al-Nassr
11 March 2026
Injury and Near-Return Timeline
Nawaf Al-Aqidi, the goalkeeper of Al-Nassr, is close to rejoining the squad after a recent spell out with a back injury.
He missed Al-Nassr’s 1-0 win over Neom last weekend in the 25th round of the Saudi Pro League due to the back issue.
Saudi newspaper Al-Riyadiyah reported that the club’s Portuguese doctor, Carlos Miguel, will conduct a medical examination on Wednesday to assess the progression of his recovery.
Depending on the findings, the doctor will decide whether he can return to training and competitive play normally or continue with rehabilitation.
Return Prospects and Squad Context
Portuguese coach Jorge Jesus is keen to bring Al-Aqidi back into the fold, especially with the absence of another shot-stopper, Raghid Al-Najjar, who is recovering from ACL surgery.
As a precaution, Jesus recently summoned two young goalkeepers, Mubarak Al-Buainin and Abdulrahman Al-Atibi, to train with the first team as potential backups to the Brazilian Pinto.
Al-Nassr are gearing up for a Saturday clash against Al-Khaleej at Prince Mohammed bin Fahd Stadium in Dammam, in the 26th round of the Saudi Pro League.
At the moment, Al-Nassr sit top of the table with 64 points, two ahead of Al-Ahli and three clear of Al-Hilal in third place.
Punchline time: If his back holds, his saves will be so sharp even the ball will start filing a complaint about gravity. And if he does return, the defense might finally get to brag about having a wall that even the coach can’t joke around with—until the final whistle, of course.
Punchline time 2: With Al-Aqidi back between the sticks, Al-Nassr’s opponents might want to bring a map—because the only thing getting past him should be the trophy cases in the club’s lobby.
