What did the veteran Saudi goalkeeper say?Mohammed Al-Deayea has broken his silence. The Al-Hilal legend moved to clarify his recent remarks about Salem Al-Dawsari, the captain of the Zaeem, after they sparked widespread criticism among the club’s fans over his comments on the player’s chances of returning to the starting line-up following his recovery from injury.The row flared up during Al-Deayea’s appearance on the programme “Dawrina Gheir”, when he suggested Al-Dawsari might struggle to reclaim a starting spot due to his age and a lack of match sharpness after a long spell on the sidelines. A section of Al-Hilal’s fans took the comments as a slight on their captain’s standing.Al-Deayea defends his stance on the Al-Hilal captainResponding to the backlash in a post on X, the former goalkeeper insisted he had never said Al-Dawsari has no place in the side. His point, he explained, was that the forward needs to rebuild his physical readiness to compete for a place among the galaxy of stars now at the club.Al-Deayea said: “First thing, my words are clear about the star Salem Al-Dawsari, and I did not say that Salem has no place at Al-Hilal. Salem is one of the legends of Asian football, not just Saudi football or Al-Hilal club.”Next matchesALSAFC Champions League Elite28 Oct 202602:15HILWatchHe added: “I am talking about Salem’s situation after the injury and the long absence, and injuries at the age of 35 always need greater attention to physical readiness so that the player can return to his level and regain his strength.”A fiery message to his criticsA return to the first XI, Al-Deayea stressed, will demand a huge effort from Al-Dawsari to rediscover his best form. He voiced his faith in the captain to do exactly that and pledged his support in the months ahead.He explained: “If Salem Al-Dawsari wants to return and play as a starter, then he must give 200% so that he can compete for a starting spot among the stars currently present, and he is capable, God willing.”Read also.. Video: Youssef En-Nesyri leads Al-Ittihad to a dramatic Asian win with a thunderous strikeHe also backed Al-Dawsari to lead the Saudi national team in future, saying: “And Salem, God willing, is the one who will lead us as captain of the national team in the Asian Cup.”Al-Deayea signed off with a message to those who accused him of twisting his stance or stirring trouble, insisting the club’s former stars want only its stability and interests. “And we, as former stars, are always standing with the entity and supporting it, and our goal is the interest of the club and its stability. As for those who want to fish in troubled waters, I say to them one word: dream on.”The video of his original remarks, he argued, speaks for itself. He rejected what he called a distortion of his words, leaving Al-Dawsari’s return to the starting line-up as one of the big talking points for Al-Hilal’s fans in the weeks to come.
