RIYADH — Italian coach Roberto Mancini has reintroduced Captain Salman Al-Faraj to the Saudi national football team's lineup. Al-Faraj, who missed the last two gatherings due to injury and incomplete readiness, has been included in the 31-player roster unveiled by Mancini for the upcoming preparatory camp in the Portuguese city of Lagos.
This training camp, taking place during the FIFA international break in October, carries significant importance as the team prepares for the 2023 Asian Cup in Qatar.
Notable inclusions in the squad encompass goalkeepers Mohammed Al-Owais, Nawaf Al-Aqidi, Raghed Al-Najjar, and the promising young talent Hamed Yousef. However, Mohammed Al-Rubaie, who was present in the last Newcastle camp, is conspicuously absent from the list.
The defensive line-up consists of Yasser Al-Shahrani, Zakariya Hawsawi, Hassan Tambakti, Ali Al-Bulayhi, Hassan Kadish, Abdulelah Al-Amri, Sultan Al-Ghannam, and Saud Abdulhamid.
The midfield is anchored by Nasser Al-Dawsari, Eid Al-Muwallad, Ali Hazazi, Mohamed Kanno, Abdulelah Al-Malki, Salem Al-Dawsari, Salman Al-Faraj, Sami Al-Najei, and the promising Faisal Al-Ghamdi.
The forward line-up features familiar faces, including Haitham Asiri, Abdulrahman Ghareeb, Ayman Yahya, Fahd Al-Muwallad, Haroun Camara, Abdullah Al-Hamdan, Saleh Al-Shehri, Feras Al-Brikan, and the young striker Mohammed Maran.
During the camp, the team is set to engage in two friendly matches. The first match against Nigeria is scheduled for October 13, followed by a second friendly against Mali on October 17, both to be held at the Portimao Stadium.
