Yousuf Al-Thunayan


Yousuf Al-Thunayyan is a former association football winger and attacking midfielder from Saudi Arabia. He spent all 21 seasons of his senior career at Al-Hilal FC. An elite playmaker, renowned for his elegance, vision, dribbling skills, ball control and technique, Al-Thunayyan was nicknamed "The Philosopher" due to his amazing abilities in terms of dribbling, unique goal scoring, and distribution. Therefore, he has been widely regarded as the greatest player in Saudi Arabia and Asia as well, and one of the greatest players of all time.
Due to his exclusivity to the Asian Continent, many people are still discovering the skills Yousuf Al Tunayan had to showcase
Please review his video on cited reference

Club career

Al-Thunayan played his entire club career for Al-Hilal, joining the first team in 1984 and retiring in 2005 after winning a total of 24 titles with the club. On 14 December 2005, Al-Hilal hosted Valencia in his farewell match.
Asian Club Championship 1991 Winner, with Hilal Club Saudi Arabia
Asian Club Championship 1999-2000 Winner with Hilal Club Saudi Arabia

International career

During his active career, Al-Thunayan played 95 international matches and scored 33 goals for the Saudi Arabian national team. At the age of 34 he was selected for his only Football World Cup, and appeared in two games, scoring from the penalty spot in the 2-2 draw with South Africa.
Asian Continental Titles Achievement with Saudia Arabia
Yousuf is a Unique player in the sense he represented Saudia in 3 Continental Asian Cup finals in row 1988, 1992 and 1996. Of Course, winning 2 out of 3
No Other Asian player has matched that Unique accolade in whole Asia
Saudia won Runner's Up spot in 1992 Asian cup.
1988 Asian Cup Doha
Yousuf was one of the Prominent players of 1988 Asian cup especially from Saudi Arabia's side. Taking over the starting forward role mid way thru the tournament coached by the famous coach Carlos Alberto Periera.
He played in game vs Bahrain, in Group stages which tied 1-1. He also played the important game vs China which Saudia won 1-0
He played the Semi Finals Game vs Arch nemesis Iran which Saudia won 1-0
He also played the Final Game vs South Korea which Saudia won on Penalties
1992 Asian Cup Japan
This cup was renounced because the team went in without Majed Abdullah in Team, so it was chance for many new faces in Saudi Arabia to shine.
He played the group stage game vs China which Saudis tied 1-1, Yousuf scored the goal in the game
He played the game vs Qater in group stages which Saudis again tied 1-1
Yousuf scored a goal in 4-0 Route of Thailand in last group stage game. This match was vital to qualify for next stages of cup.
Yousuf lead the team, as they defeated UAE 2-0 in Semi Finals to reach the Finals of 1992 Asian cup.
Saudia collected the Runner's Up medal in Final vs Japan. Yousuf played whole game in the Final.
1993 Confederation Cup Appearance
The confederation cup was the last stop prior to Asian World Cup qualifiers for Saudi Arabia, and Yousuf played an instrumental role in it for Saudia. Saudia reached the finals of that first tournament which was than known as King Fahad Cup.
Saudia Beat USA 3-0, and Yousuf scored a brilliant goal himself.
1996 Asian Cup UAE
When the tournament started Yousuf was on bench but that changed quickly after the loss to Iran.
Saudi Team got shocked in group stage game vs Iran which they lost 3-0, Yousuf played in that game as a Substitute
Yousuf had a monumental game vs China in Quarter finals where Saudia were down 2-0, after China scored 2 early goals in minutes 6 and 16. Yousuf scored a goal and made an assist and in end Saudia won the game 4-2
He played the game vs Iran in Semi Finals which was an epic rematch with their regional rivals considering that Saudia had lost to Iran 3-0. Saudia won the match on PK 4-3
Yousuf played the whole final and Saudia won the final beating UAE the host nation in final 4-2, with Yousuf Scoring a critical first Penalty Shot
This was the second continental Asian Cup for Yousuf and Third for Saudi Arabia
1998 Arab Nations Cup Winning Squad Member
Yousuf collected the Trophy after winning the Championship with Saudia National team in tournament featuring, Algeria, Egypt, Morocco
Yousuf scored in the Semi Finals win game Saudia won 2-1 vs Kuwait. In finals he made an assist vs Qater to clinch the title for Saudia Arabia



1998 World Cup appearance with Saudi Arabia

Yousuf for being the great player he was strangely only had a chance to play on the biggest stage, the world cup at almost the end of his career during his peaks in 88 and 92
Saudia Arabia failed to qualify for the 1986 world cup after winning 1984 Asian Cup Title and then failed to Qualify for 1990 world cup.
Yousuf appeared as a Substitute in game vs Denmark which Saudia Lost 1-0
Yousuf heroically scored from Penalty kick to earn Saudia a 2-2 draw vs South Africa to earn Saudis a solitary point in 1998 world cup. He captained the team in the game

International goals

#DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
125 February 1986Khobar, Saudi Arabia1–2LostFriendly
23 October 1986Seoul, South Korea2–2Drew1986 Asian Games
315 March 1989Jeddah Saudi Arabia5–4Won1990 FIFA World Cup qualification
415 October 1992Riyadh, Saudi Arabia3–0WonFIFA Confederations Cup
529 October 1992Hiroshima, Japan1–1Drew1992 AFC Asian Cup
62 November 1992Hiroshima, Japan4–0Won1992 AFC Asian Cup
729 December 1995Jeddah, Saudi Arabia3–0WonFriendly
829 December 1995Jeddah, Saudi Arabia3–0WonFriendly
924 January 1996Riyadh, Saudi Arabia3–0Won1996 AFC Asian Cup qualification
1024 January 1996Riyadh, Saudi Arabia3–0Won1996 AFC Asian Cup qualification
1128 January 1996Riyadh, Saudi Arabia4–0Won1996 AFC Asian Cup qualification
1228 January 1996Riyadh, Saudi Arabia4–0Won1996 AFC Asian Cup qualification
1331 January 1996Riyadh, Saudi Arabia2–0Won1996 AFC Asian Cup qualification
1421 October 1996Muscat, Oman3–1Won1996 Gulf Cup of Nations
1516 December 1996Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates4–3Won1996 AFC Asian Cup
1616 December 1996Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates4–3Won1996 AFC Asian Cup
1714 September 1997Riyadh, Saudi Arabia2–1Won1998 FIFA World Cup qualification
1824 June 1998Bordeaux, France2–2Drew1998 FIFA World Cup
1929 September 1998Doha, Qatar2–1Won1998 Arab Nations Cup
202 November 1998Manama, Bahrain1–1Drew1998 Gulf Cup of Nations

Honours

Club