FIFA ranking is start of something special for Saudi women’s football, says federation chief

Saudi women’s national team were officially recognized by FIFA in their world rankings for the first time. (Supplied/SAFF)
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Saudi women’s national team were officially recognized by FIFA in their world rankings for the first time. (Supplied/SAFF)
Saudi women’s national team were officially recognized by FIFA in their world rankings for the first time. (Supplied/SAFF)
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Saudi women’s national team were officially recognized by FIFA in their world rankings for the first time. (Supplied/SAFF)
Saudi women’s national team were officially recognized by FIFA in their world rankings for the first time. (Supplied/SAFF)
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Saudi women’s national team were officially recognized by FIFA in their world rankings for the first time. (Supplied/SAFF)
Saudi women’s national team were officially recognized by FIFA in their world rankings for the first time. (Supplied/SAFF)
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Saudi women’s national team were officially recognized by FIFA in their world rankings for the first time. (Supplied/SAFF)
Saudi women’s national team were officially recognized by FIFA in their world rankings for the first time. (Supplied/SAFF)
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Saudi women’s national team were officially recognized by FIFA in their world rankings for the first time. (Supplied/SAFF)
Saudi women’s national team were officially recognized by FIFA in their world rankings for the first time. (Supplied/SAFF)
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Saudi women’s national team were officially recognized by FIFA in their world rankings for the first time. (Supplied/SAFF)
Saudi women’s national team were officially recognized by FIFA in their world rankings for the first time. (Supplied/SAFF)
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Saudi women’s national team were officially recognized by FIFA in their world rankings for the first time. (Supplied/SAFF)
Saudi women’s national team were officially recognized by FIFA in their world rankings for the first time. (Supplied/SAFF)
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Saudi women’s national team were officially recognized by FIFA in their world rankings for the first time. (Supplied/SAFF)
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Updated 24 March 2023

FIFA ranking is start of something special for Saudi women’s football, says federation chief

Saudi women’s national team were officially recognized by FIFA in their world rankings for the first time. (Supplied/SAFF)
  • The Green Falcons enter the rankings for the first time at No. 171 after nine international matches over the last year

JEDDAH: “This is just the start of something very special.”

Those were the words of Saudi Arabian Football Federation (SAFF) president and FIFA council member Yasser Al-Misehal after the Saudi women’s national team were officially recognized by FIFA in their world rankings for the first time.

With 188 nations now included in the list of FIFA’s women’s world rankings, Saudi Arabia have made their debut at 171; a respectable placement considering their relative lack of experience, highlighting the significant development that has taken place in women’s football in the Kingdom since 2019 when the SAFF first developed the Women’s Football Department, headed by Lamia Bahaian.

“Our national team made history when it was established 18 months ago and since then their journey has inspired millions across Saudi Arabia and the region,” said Bahaian, the supervisor of the Women’s Football Department and SAFF board member.

“Entering the FIFA rankings (is what) we’ve been building towards, and signals just the beginning of what we want to achieve with these girls. They can write their own history now.

“We are also already in active collaborations with many global bodies and federations and invite the world to join in our women’s football movement as we strive to give it the platform it truly deserves.”

The official recognition continues the rapid development of the women’s game within the Kingdom, which has seen unprecedented growth in the past two years. It also means the team can now enter both FIFA- and AFC-sanctioned events.

“What these girls achieved in just a year and a half has been nothing short of incredible,” said a very proud Al-Misehal. “Since 2019 we have managed to successfully establish a national team, a premier league, a first division, a school league — with 50,000 girls signing up, and an under-17 national team.

“In just two years, we have nearly doubled the number of registered players, clubs, referees and staff and seen an 800 percent growth in the number of coaches. (These are) statistics all of football can be proud of and it just shows what is possible when you love the game.”

Most significantly, at a time when many national associations are at war with their players over equal pay and treatment, including a number that will compete at this year’s FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, Al-Misehal says the SAFF is determined to ensure their female players are treated the same as their male counterparts.

“We are fully committed to offering equal opportunities for boys and girls, in sport and beyond,” he said.

“For instance, our national teams get equal daily allowances while representing their country, regardless of gender. They share the same training pitches, stay in the same quality accommodation, and have access to the same equipment and resources.”

To get to this point, it has been an 18-month journey that began with the formation of the team in September 2021, after more than 700 players took part in nationwide tryouts in Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam.

Assessing each of those players was Monika Staab, the veteran German manager and ex-player, who took on the Herculean task of starting the national team from scratch, ultimately giving 28 players the honor of being the first to be selected for the national team’s first training camp in Riyadh in November of that year.

It wasn’t until a few months later that they played their first official matches in a three-team tournament with the Maldives and Seychelles, winning both of their fixtures 2-0.

Since then there have been a further seven official matches and Saudi Arabia also hosted (and won) its inaugural women’s football tournament against Pakistan, Comoros and Mauritius earlier this year. Staab has now moved into the technical director’s role with Finland’s Rosa Lappi-Seppälä becoming coach.

“Each player has their own story, but what we all share is a love of football and a desire to compete,” national team captain Sarah Khalid said.

“To be FIFA ranked makes us part of world football and that means everything. We recognize that we have a huge responsibility to inspire the youth and pave the way for the future generations who will represent Saudi Arabia.”

Having achieved official recognition, the focus now turns to the future and building a sustainable women’s football program.

To that end, the under-17 national team was recently formed, playing their first matches earlier this month against Kuwait. The next fixtures for the senior team are currently being arranged as they look to improve on their inaugural ranking.

The focus remains on Saudi Arabia’s bid to host the 2026 AFC Women’s Asian Cup, aiming to become just the second West Asian nation to host the tournament and fast-tracking the growth of women’s football within the Kingdom.


Juddmonte’s Arrest, Frankie Dettori in final derby ride bid for glory at world’s most famous race

Arrest and Frankie Dettori at The Derby Festival Gallops Morning 2023. (John Hoy/The Jockey Club)
Arrest and Frankie Dettori at The Derby Festival Gallops Morning 2023. (John Hoy/The Jockey Club)
Updated 5 min 45 sec ago

Juddmonte’s Arrest, Frankie Dettori in final derby ride bid for glory at world’s most famous race

Arrest and Frankie Dettori at The Derby Festival Gallops Morning 2023. (John Hoy/The Jockey Club)
  • Arrest, owned by Juddmonte and trained in Newmarket by John and Thady Gosden, landed two wins in 2022 at Sandown and Ffos Las
  • Will be Italian icon Dettori’s final run in the Derby at Epsom Downs

LONDON: Legendary jockey Frankie Dettori is hoping to continue this season’s glorious swan song in one of the world’s biggest races on Saturday when he saddles up on board Saudi Arabia-owned Arrest.

It will be the Italian icon’s final run in the Derby at Epsom Downs and he will be hoping to make it a hat trick of victories in the famous old race, having won aboard Authorized in 2007 and Golden Horn in 2015.

Arrest, owned by Juddmonte and trained in Newmarket by John and Thady Gosden, landed two wins in 2022 at Sandown and Ffos Las and comes into the Derby in good form having scored a victory in the Group Three Chester Vase last month.

The colt, by Juddmonte’s world-renowned sire Frankel, will be in good company at the two-day Derby festival, which got underway on Friday, with Soul Sister, Military Order, Hurricane Lane and Westover also representing the retired champion across the weekend.

The win at Chester was a reward for the confidence shown by Arrest’s trainers, the Gosdens, and they have high hopes for him in the Derby.

“John and Thady have held him in high regard since last year. While we were a little nervous of all the rain that fell on Chester that morning, we were still hopeful of a very big run,” Barry Mahon, Juddmonte’s general manager of Irish and European racing, said in comments to Great British Racing International for Arab News.

“The race went far from ideal with no pace early on and Arrest getting caught a little wide, but in the end his class shone through and he powered away for an easy victory.

“This year seems to be a very open renewal of the Epsom Derby and being a son of Frankel, we know he will give his all (on Saturday) and we’re hopeful of a good run,” he added.

Gosden believes Arrest has the staying power to beat the field, having proved his mettle in his Chester victory.

“This horse can change gears, absolutely. He’s a big boy and he proved he stayed the other day (in the Chester Vase) when he handled the conditions. He doesn’t need it to be like that,” John told the Jockey Club. “He’s got the stamina; to do what he did at Chester in ground like that shows he’s got the stamina, no problem.”

He added: “Stamina is a requirement in this race, the same for the Kentucky Derby going a mile and a quarter for the Americans, they see it as a marathon. Stamina wise you never really know until you go the mile and a half, you really don’t.

“Everybody thinks this is a downhill track, but it’s uphill, it rises 150 feet before you start going downhill, then you have a last section which climbs before the finish and it can catch a lot out on stamina.”

Arrest and Frankie Dettori at The Derby Festival Gallops Morning 2023. (John Hoy/The Jockey Club)

A win in the Derby would be monumental for Juddmonte and Frankel, as well as Arrest’s future after racing, Mahon said.

“The Epsom Derby is still one of the most important, iconic thoroughbred flat races in the world. History tells us that colts who have won (the race) have gone on to shape the breed as stallions,” he said.

“The fact that it is one of the most iconic races in the world makes it very significant that Frankel would add a second victory in the race.

“He is progressing to be an outstanding stallion at present with a number of runners in the Oaks and Derby as well as siring this year’s English 2000 Guineas winner, so hopefully he will be able to build on his tally in the coming seasons,” Mahon added.

Following the passing of owner and founder Prince Khalid bin Abdullah Al-Saud in 2021, his family have continued his work and passion for racing, with his son Prince Saud bin Khalid in attendance at Newmarket when Juddmonte’s Chaldean won the 2000 Guineas on May 6.

Mahon believes the future of the operation is in good hands and hopes to give Prince Saud another winner this year, especially if he makes the journey to England.

“It will be wonderful to welcome Prince Saud to Epsom over the weekend. He has been racing numerous times this year and is really enjoying how the season is going,” he said.

“Prince Saud and his family are very dedicated to Juddmonte and the wider thoroughbred industry and hopefully we can provide them with more success as the season continues,” he added.

Speaking to the Jockey Club, Dettori was hopeful of glory in his final Derby run, saying: “I have been fortunate enough to win the Derby twice and it is still the most famous race in the world for us.”

He added: “When I started my career as a jockey, first of all you want to get a ride in it and then try to win it. I’ve had over 20 rides in it and this is my last go. At least I am going into my last Derby with a great chance.”


José Mourinho charged by UEFA for verbally abusing referee at Europa League final

José Mourinho charged by UEFA for verbally abusing referee at Europa League final
Updated 02 June 2023

José Mourinho charged by UEFA for verbally abusing referee at Europa League final

José Mourinho charged by UEFA for verbally abusing referee at Europa League final
  • UEFA said the Roma coach is charged for “insulting / abusive language against a match official” after Sevilla’s victory in Budapest this week
  • Footage circulated Thursday of Mourinho approaching referee Anthony Taylor in the garage and calling him a “disgrace” with an expletive

NYON, Switzerland: José Mourinho was charged by UEFA on Friday after being filmed aggressively cursing at the English match referee in a stadium garage after the Europa League final.
UEFA said the Roma coach is charged for “insulting / abusive language against a match official” after Sevilla’s victory in Budapest this week.
It was one of a slew of disciplinary charges UEFA opened into incidents at a testy, bad-tempered game that lasted more than three hours on Wednesday.
Footage circulated Thursday of Mourinho approaching referee Anthony Taylor in the garage and calling him a “disgrace” with an expletive.
Later Thursday, Taylor and his family were harassed and verbally abused by Roma fans at the airport in Budapest.
Roma lost to Sevilla in a penalty shootout after a 1-1 draw that saw players and officials clash on the field and in the technical area.
UEFA charged both teams with improper conduct – typically activated for at least five yellow cards shown – and Roma was charged over crowd disturbances and acts of damage.
Sevilla was also charged because dozens of its fans invaded the field after the match.
UEFA gave no timetable for its disciplinary panel to judge the cases.


Ronaldo and Al-Nassr to take on PSG during summer friendly in Japan

Ronaldo and Al-Nassr to take on PSG during summer friendly in Japan
Updated 02 June 2023

Ronaldo and Al-Nassr to take on PSG during summer friendly in Japan

Ronaldo and Al-Nassr to take on PSG during summer friendly in Japan
  • The clash between Al-Nassr, who finished second in the Roshn Saudi League, and PSG will be held in Osaka on July 25
  • Messi was not among the players PSG used to illustrate the tour announcement on their website

JAPAN: Cristiano Ronaldo and Saudi Arabia’s Al-Nassr will take on Paris Saint-Germain during their summer friendlies in Japan.
The clash between Al-Nassr, who finished second in the Roshn Saudi League, and PSG will be held in Osaka on July 25.
However, there will be no head-to-head between Ronaldo and old rival Lionel Messi, with the Argentine set to leave PSG.
Messi was not among the players PSG used to illustrate the tour announcement on their website.
Last summer PSG traveled to Japan to play three local clubs and were greeted by sell-out crowds, even for their training sessions.
They round off their Japan visit against Inter, who play Manchester City in the Champions League final, at Tokyo’s National Stadium on August 1.
PSG clinched a record 11th French title last week as Messi scored in a 1-1 away draw at Strasbourg.
PSG are scheduled to play J-League club Cerezo Osaka on July 28.
City, Bayern Munich and Celtic have also announced tours to Japan this summer.
(With inputs from AFP)


Lebanon looking to make historic progress at 2023 AFC Asian Cup in Qatar

Lebanon looking to make historic progress at 2023 AFC Asian Cup in Qatar
Updated 02 June 2023

Lebanon looking to make historic progress at 2023 AFC Asian Cup in Qatar

Lebanon looking to make historic progress at 2023 AFC Asian Cup in Qatar
  • Despite being placed in tough group with hosts Qatar, China and Tajikistan, the Cedars will look to reach the Round of 16 for the first time
  • Lebanon have a hectic schedule ahead in 2023 as they prepare for a tournament delayed after China pulled out of hosting

The 2023 AFC Asian Cup may be six months away, but preparations have already started for the 24 qualified nations.

Lebanon know that eyes will be on them from day one as they take on hosts Qatar in the opening fixture on Jan. 12, 2024.

Hassan Maatouk, the Cedars’ captain, has stressed the team’s strong spirits and continued preparations to reach their major objective of the quarterfinal, particularly given the considerable time they have set aside for camps and friendly matches in order to find harmony among the players.

In a group with the hosts, China and Tajikistan, it will not be easy, and history is against them.

The competition was moved to January of next year after China pulled out of hosting duties and will end on Feb. 10 with 10 Arab teams taking part, one fewer than the 11 that played in the 2019 edition in the UAE.

Following the curtain-raiser at Al-Bayt Stadium, Lebanon will play China on Jan. 17 and Tajikistan on Jan. 22, both at Al-Thumama Stadium.

They will be hoping for a big improvement in their results at the last edition of the tournament.

Lebanon won only one of its three 2019 matches — 4-1 against North Korea — before suffering losses to Qatar and Saudi Arabia, both with a score of 0-2.

The opener against Qatar certainly looks the most challenging for the Lebanese, for several reasons.

For a start, the Maroons are the reigning champions and will be doing their utmost to retain the title they claimed in the UAE in 2019. Secondly, they will be keen to make amends to their fans after the massive disappointment of the 2022 World Cup.

More will be expected from Lebanon against the other two teams in the group.

Tajikistan are theoretically the easiest opponent and the only team in the group whose FIFA ranking of 109 is lower than Lebanon’s (99). Despite this, the team has managed to make it to the Asian Cup finals for the first time in their history under the leadership of Croatian coach Petar Segrt and should not be taken lightly.

Lebanon will hope that by the time they face China in their final group fixture their chances of progressing to the Round of 16 are still alive.

Since taking over the Cedars in August of last year, Serbian coach Aleksandar Ilic has overseen several poor results.

He has received significant backing from the Football Association in an effort to change the strategy and direction of the Lebanese national team by introducing young players who can keep up with the rapid development of other Asian teams. The team’s last three friendly matches have resulted in away losses to Kuwait in November (2-0), the UAE in December (1-0) and Oman in March (2-0).

Veterans such as Mohamad Haidar, Rabih Ataya, Omar Bugiel, Kassem El-Zein, and Mostafa Matar have been sidelined as younger players like Mohamed Sadek, Ali Tneich, Mohamad Baker El-Housseini, and Ali Al-Hajj have been drafted in.

However, 35-year-old captain Hassan Maatouk, goalkeeper Mehdi Khalil, and midfielder Nader Matar have retained their place in the squad.

The rest of 2023, and the buildup to the AFC Asian Cup, will be hectic as the team takes part in the Intercontinental Cup in India; the 2023 SAFF Championship also in India; the Merdeka Tournament in Malaysia; several friendlies and even the start of the qualifying campaign for the 2026 World Cup.

As always, logistical and economic challenges abound for the team and its coach, while on the technical side, the players continue to play on artificial pitches at home.

Despite this, Lebanon still have a good chance of making it out of the group stage as the tournament system allows the top two teams in each group, along with the best third-place teams, to advance to the Round of 16.

Such an achievement might seem modest from the outside, but it would be a historic first for the Cedars and will bring a sense of joy and pride to the long-suffering people of Lebanon.


For club, country, Bounou proves hero time and again

For club, country, Bounou proves hero time and again
Updated 02 June 2023

For club, country, Bounou proves hero time and again

For club, country, Bounou proves hero time and again
  • Moroccan goalkeeper named man of match after 2 penalty saves helped Sevilla beat Roma in Europa League final
  • Shotstopper played pivotal role in Morocco’s march to semi-finals of 2022 World Cup in Qatar

RIYADH: Mohamed Salah, Riyad Mahrez, Hakim Ziyech, and Achraf Hakimi are probably the best-known Arab stars active in Europe.

Whether it is for winning trophies, scoring goals, or earning plaudits, they have made plenty of headlines over the years as they play for some of the biggest clubs in the world.

Now, there is another name that has to be mentioned in the same breath and that is Yassine Bounou.

The Moroccan goalkeeper has had quite a few months, and just this week was the toast of Sevilla after helping his team win the Europa League title on Wednesday. In a penalty shootout against Roma in Budapest, Bounou saved penalties from Gianluca Mancini and Roger Ibanez as the Spaniards lifted the trophy for a magnificent seventh time.

The first save from Mancini proved a turning point. After 120 minutes of fractious football ended 1-1, the shootout stood at 2-1 for Sevilla as the Roma captain stepped up. The goalkeeper flung himself to the left, the defender went down the middle, but Bounou somehow got his feet to the ball. As well as a big save, it was an impressive one.

The second from Ibanez was even more impressive, the slight touch that diverted the ball onto the post almost imperceptible at first viewing.

In the chaos of the madcap game, the man known as Bono kept his cool, perhaps helped by football education as a kid on the streets of Casablanca.

“I have already lived moments like this, and I understood that I needed to stay calm today,” he said after the game and a second individual Europa League prize.

“It’s been a year with a lot of emotions, with the World Cup, then Sevilla, and I needed to take it easy for that.”

It was not just about the shootout. Throughout the game he was operating at the highest level and was named man of the match for his heroics. He follows such names as the original Ronaldo, Hernan Crespo, and Brazil’s 1994 World Cup-winning goalkeeper Claudio Taffarel in that particular individual prize.

It was not the first time that he had been named the best player in a high-profile game and, as the 32-year-old pointed out, not the first time he had been saving penalties in high-pressure situations. The last time he did it was against the Spanish, not for them.

After the North Africans topped a tough 2022 World Cup group containing Croatia, Belgium, and Canada they were rewarded with a second-round clash with Spain. Most expected that the run would end there.

Yet Morocco went toe-to-toe with the 2010 champions with a place in the last eight at stake in the knowledge that they had a top-class goalkeeper at the back. After 120 minutes of intense football and no goals, there was a shootout. This time Bounou made two saves, first from Carlos Soler and then from Sergio Busquets.

In the quarterfinals, he starred once again, keeping another clean sheet as the Atlas Lions defeated Portugal 1-0 to become the talk of the World Cup. He was named the man of the match by FIFA.

“Pinch me, I think I’m dreaming,” he said after the game as he looked forward to being part of the first Arab team to reach the last four of the biggest sporting event in the world.

Morocco had become the story of the World Cup, and not just the team but the fans who took over stadiums in Qatar to make every game feel like a home one.

The miracle came to an end against France, but it was another hard-fought game and added to the respect and affection felt for the Moroccans.

The likes of Ziyech and Hakimi, with Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain, respectively, played their part but so did the Canadian-born shotstopper.

Bounou was aware of what had been achieved and knew that it was important that the national team built on that success.

“These moments are great, but we’re here to change the mentality. With this feeling of inferiority, we have to get rid of it. The Moroccan player can face any in the world. The generation coming after us will know we can create miracles,” he added.

That is the mentality of a winner and what he said about Morocco could also apply to the Arab world. It is clearly a matter important to the player. At the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations, that took place in early 2022, Bounou spoke Arabic even when organizers in Cameroon asked for English and French only as they did not have Arabic translators available.

“This is your problem, not mine,” he said.

The same could be said for opponent players who are facing Bounou from the spot in the latter stages of a major international tournament. In the past few months, he has come to be seen as a leading goalkeeper and there is surely more to come.