| Mohammad Al Shlhoub broke on to the international scene six years ago in the AFC Nations Cup finals in Lebanon in 2000 and his hat-trick against Uzbekistan when he was only 19 years of age is still fondly remembered by Saudi fans. The baby-faced winger who is known as ‘Maradona Junior’ has captured the hearts of football fans in the Middle East thanks to a series of impressive performances with club side Al Hilal. As well as scoring from set-pieces, Al Shlhoub is also considered to be one of the most valuable playmakers in the country. He is a handful for any defence with a multitude of tricks up his sleeve when playing on the left-wing and his slight frame aids another of his greatest assets, his pace. “He is very skilful and energetic but the most interesting part about him is his great ability to turn things around as soon as he comes onto the pitch,” explained Saudi Arabia coach Marcos Paqueta in a recent interview. The Al-Hilal player was the smallest player at the 200 FIFA World Cup Korea/Japan™, a record he could retain in Germany, but it is unclear whether he is going to be a member of Paqueta’s first-choice starting 11 at the forthcoming FIFA World Cup. However, whether his impact is seen from the first whistle of the match or from the substititutes’ bench, the Saudi Arabia fans hope that Al Shlhoub can help their team progress from the group stage and hopefully beyond.
|
