Football is one of the most popular sports in the Middle East, and countries in the region like Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Iran have all qualified for multiple FIFA World Cups. As of May 2022, Iran was the top-ranked Middle East team in the FIFA Coca-Cola Men’s World Ranking at No. 21, while Egypt was second at No. 32. Saudi Arabia was the only other Middle East country in the top 50 at No. 49.
However, Qatar hosting the 2022 FIFA World Cup should help elevate football not only in Qatar but throughout the Middle East. The quadrennial tournament, taking place in the region for the first time in November and December, will feature Iran, Saudi Arabia, and possibly the United Arab Emirates if they win a June qualifier. Host nation Qatar will also have a slot. With that in mind, below are some of the premier football players from the Middle East.
Mohamed Salah (Egypt)
Mohamed Salah is not only the best and most notable football player from the Middle East, but one of the greatest strikers in the world. The 29-year-old Egyptian forward won the Premier League’s Golden Boot for the third time in his career after scoring 23 goals during the 2021-22 season with Liverpool FC. Salah won the award in 2018-19 with 22 goals and scored a career-best 32 goals to earn the award the year prior. He had 156 goals through 253 games for Liverpool following the end of the 2021-22 Premier League season and was recently named the best striker in the league by the United Kingdom media outlet 90min.
In addition to his individual accolades, Salah helped Liverpool win the League Cup and FA Cup this season and also played a significant role in the team’s 2019 Champions League and 2019-20 Premier League victories. Salah’s contract with Liverpool expires in June 2023 and, while he said he is “for sure” returning to play out his contract, he was noncommittal when asked if he would sign a new contract with the team.
Sardar Azmoun (Iran)
Among the top-performing countries in the Middle East on the international stage, Iran has produced several notable football stars, including Ali Daei, the all-time international leading goalscorer for well more than a decade, until Cristiano Ronaldo surpassed him in 2021. Sardar Azmoun, a 27-year-old center-forward from Gonbad-e Kavus, Golestan, is far off Daei’s record of 109 international goals (he has 40 in 62 caps) but still holds some prestigious records.
While playing for Zenit St. Petersburg in Russia from 2019 to 2022, Azmoun became the youngest Iranian (25) to record a goal in a European Champions League match. In addition, he has scored more goals than any other Iranian in a single Champions League season. Azmoun left Zenit to join German club Bayern Leverkusen for a $2.75 million transfer fee in January 2022. The website Transfermarkt lists his market value at $27.5 million.
Ahmed Yasin (Iraq)
A 31-year-old right winger from Baghdad, Ahmed Yasin is one of the best modern Iraqi footballers. Yasin is tied with Justin Meram for having the highest overall rating (68) among Iraqi players in the video game FIFA 22. He is currently playing for Örebro SK in Superettan, a second-tier division in Sweden, and has previously played for teams in Qatar and Denmark. He had one goal and one assist through the first seven games of the 2021-22 season. Yasin has also scored six goals in 61 caps for the Iraq national team.
Arshad Al-Alawi (Oman)
A 22-year-old attacking midfielder, Arshad Al-Alawi has the highest market value among all Omani footballers. Listed at nearly $500,000 on Transfermarkt, Al-Alawi has scored three goals in 18 caps for the Oman national team and plays at the club level with Al-Seeb in the Oman Professional League.
Although Oman didn’t qualify for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, Al-Alawi scored one of the goals in the country’s 2-0 qualifying victory over China at the Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex in Muscat on March 29.
Salem Al-Dawsari (Saudi Arabia)
A 30-year-old left winger with a market value of $3.08 million as of January 2022, Salem Al-Dawsari has scored 14 goals in 53 caps for Saudi Arabia. Al-Dawsari has been with Al-Hilal SFC in Saudi Arabia since 2011 and has been an integral part of the team’s success in recent years. He helped the team win the 2021 Asian Champions League and earned Best Player distinction. Titan Sports, a Chinese media organization, listed him fourth in its 2021 Best Footballer in Asia list.
Al-Dawsari has recently drawn interest from Villarreal and other Spanish clubs, despite the fact he signed a four-year contract extension with Al-Hilal in December 2021 that will pay him $3.5 million per year. He was loaned to Villarreal for a brief period in 2018 and appeared in a match against Real Madrid. His potential exodus to Europe could position him as “a pioneer who shows people overseas and his colleagues at home that [playing in the top European leagues] can be done,” according to Arab News sports reporter John Duerden.