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Saudi hopes pinned on striker Jaber
John Alexander


Saudi star Sami al-Jaber might lack flair but his confidence and skill make him one of the national squad's key assets ahead of the World Cup finals.

Jaber, an astute playmaker and the first Saudi footballer to play in the English League, has played a key role in transforming Saudi Arabia into a major force in Asian football since his international debut 11 years ago.

Now his nation's hopes for victory ride on his proven prowess in World Cup tournaments.

Next year, Jaber will become the first Arab footballer to play in three consecutive World Cup tournaments for an Arab country - a distinction the 29-year-old striker says is a lifetime ambition realised.

'This is a dream come true for me,' Jaber said after Saudi Arabia beat Thailand 4-1 in their last Asian Zone qualifying match to book a place in the World Cup finals.

'After the game I told the guys to please wake me up because I thought that maybe I was dreaming. This has never happened to an Arab player before, to play in three World Cups.'

Jaber was at the heart of the Saudi team that played in the 1994 World Cup in the United States when Saudi Arabia suprisingly reached the second round.

He also played in France in 1998, when the team struggled to live up to their own high expectations.

Jaber, who plays for the Riyadh-based Al-Hilal Club, became the first Saudi international to play for a European club when he made four substitute appearances for Wolverhampton Wanderers last season.

Wolves' request to extend the loan by two months was rejected by Al-Hilal, which also turned down an $800,000 four-year contract for their star player.

Jaber's brief professional stint in the English first division was the latest step in a career that has spanned over a decade.

He was part of Saudi Arabia's first national team, which was carefully put together in 1990 by coach Brazilian Carlos Alberto Pereira and since then has accumulated a wealth of international experience.

Jaber attributes his success and that of his team to compatriot Nasser al-Johar, a veteran coach who was reappointed to the national squad.

'We have many good players, players who have very high quality, but we needed a man who could understand them. When Nasser al-Johar came in, he was that man,' he said.

If Johar is the man with the Midas touch for the Saudi team, then Jaber is its Zinedine Zidane - the man who like the French
football star - is expected to drive it to victory
الموقع الاصلي
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