Saudi's Hidden Ace: Abu Al-Shamat Cleared by Coach, World Cup 2026 in Sight

Who is Yusuf Al-Ghadeer?

Yusuf Al-Ghadeer, the former Saudi national team assistant coach, cleared Saleh Abu Al-Shamat of accusations of flair over substance in the latest friendly versus Ivory Coast.

Al-Ghadeer noted that Abu Al-Shamat helped Saudi win 1-0 in that match, a result that highlighted his potential and the team’s growing chemistry.

“Saleh Abu Al-Shamat does not lean toward showy play, because that is simply his style,” Al-Ghadeer said, emphasizing the player’s balance of technique and work rate.

“Abu Al-Shamat is a young player with great potential, but there is nothing wrong with guiding him to shine even more with his teammates,” he added, underscoring the developmental plan around the forward.

Discussing the Ivory Coast friendly, he said the game was excellent for assessing the squad’s readiness and the players’ ability to execute the coach’s ideas.

Al-Ghadeer pointed out that the national team needs more matches to build cohesion and be ready for the World Cup, noting that the goal is to optimize a squad whose average age is solid and whose leadership is spreading across the squad, especially with veteran support from Salim Al-Dosari.

He concluded with a sense of optimism: the nation’s qualification for the 2026 World Cup will allow these players to continue gaining experience in qualifiers, practice games, and regional tournaments like the Arab Cup, setting the stage for a strong World Cup showing.

Who is Yusuf Al-Ghadeer? (Continued)

Al-Ghadeer’s football journey began with Al-Nahda, where he represented Saudi Arabia at youth levels, including appearances at the Asia Cup and the 1989 U-17 World Cup.

He carries a robust coaching résumé, having served as Mauritania’s U-17 technical director in February last year under a cooperation agreement with the Saudi and Mauritanian federations.

Previously, he was an assistant for the Saudi first team in 2019 and for the youth teams in 2015; he also contributes as a match analyst on a Saudi TV program and has coached youth sides at Al-Nahda and Al-Ettifaq, as well as senior teams at Al-Sahil, and managed Batin, Al-Raed, Al-Fayha, and Al-Qadsia, helping them avoid relegation.

His coaching credentials include the introductory and second levels of international coaching studies with a British training body in 2004, the AFC C diploma, the AFC instructors’ certification in 2011, the Canadian program Level 1 in Bahrain in 2014, and the AFC Pro License in football.

Saudi Rising Star

Undoubtedly, Saleh Abu Al-Shamat’s talent has made a bold statement on the Saudi scene of late, following a standout spell with Al-Ahli Jeddah.

Al-Shamat rose through Al-Ahli’s youth ranks, moved to Qadsia, had a loan spell at Al-Taawoun, then joined Al-Khaleej, and eventually returned to the “Castle of Cups” to become a genuine attacking option for the team. Renard called him up to the Falcons’ squad for the first time in the September camp last year.

Even with limited international exposure, Abu Al-Shamat has become a key part of Renard’s lineup, especially as injuries to star Salim Al-Dosari persist.

He even created a goal in Saudi’s friendly win over North Macedonia, and he scored in the Asian qualifiers against Indonesia.

In his most recent friendly, the Al-Ahli star helped Saudi secure a 1-0 victory over Ivory Coast, bringing his international tally to two goals and one assist in six appearances for the national team.

A New Chapter

The Saudi team is set for another friendly, this time against Algeria on Tuesday in Jeddah.

Saudi media, including Al-Yaom, report Hervé Renard has settled on a starting XI for the Algeria game: Goalkeeper Nawaf Al-Aqidi; Defenders Saud Abdul-Hamid, Abdulilah Al-Omari, Walid Al-Ahmad, Nawaf Boshil; Midfield Mohammed Kano, Abdullah Al-Khaibari, Nasser Al-Dosari; Attackers Salim Al-Dosari, Saleh Abu Al-Shamat, Firas Al-Briqan.

The Algeria clash will be Saudi’s 263rd international friendly, after playing 262 matches with 102 wins, 72 draws, and 88 losses, scoring 349 and conceding 296.

Ivory Coast becomes the 123rd opponent Saudi has faced; this match marks the first-ever meeting between the two teams. Saudi Arabia have faced nine of Africa’s traditional powers (Morocco, Egypt, Algeria, Tunisia, Ghana, Nigeria, Cameroon, Senegal, South Africa) and at last Ivory Coast, widening their African portfolio. The last meeting with Ivory Coast was their 60th matchup against an African nation.

In total, the Green Falcons have faced 9 of Africa’s top sides and 123 opponents so far, with the Ivory Coast game their first in this historic African-international sequence.

Saudi Arabia’s next steps include more friendlies and competitive fixtures designed to sharpen the squad’s World Cup readiness for 2026. The growth trajectory for Abu Al-Shamat and his teammates will hinge on consistency, squad depth, and the ability to translate talent into results on the biggest stages.

Punchline time: If goals were target practice, this squad would have a sniper's eye—though the only thing I’ll shoot is a message about extra onions on the kebab after the game. Punchline 2: And if the World Cup happens to be a moving target, don’t worry—the defense will have it locked down like a hired marksman in a late-night shopping spree at the defense department.