Arab players to watch out for in Russia

This summer’s World Cup in Russia will earmark the highest participation of Arab nations in the tournaments illustrious history. It comes as a welcome change for Arab football fans given that Algeria was the only Arab representative in Brazil in the last World Cup. It has also been over a decade since an Arab team won the AFC Asian Cup and 8 years since Egypt conquered Africa for the third time in a row. High time for some change in fortunes it would seem.

This summer’s tournament is steeped in hope and potential for those watching from their TV sets in Morocco, Tunisia, Saudi Arabia and Egypt. Each of the four Arab football giants has stepped foot in the tournament more than once before and although realistically, chances of winning are slim, they are all more than capable of pulling off a surprise or two and upsetting stronger tournament favourites.

That being said, emerging talents and underrated players becoming stars is nothing new to World Cup history. Over the years we have seen the likes of El Hadji Diouf, James Rodriguez and Lukas Podolski rise to fame through impressive World Cup performances. No doubt that will be on the minds of most players this summer looking to impress top clubs and emulate those before them.

So who do we need to keep an eye on from the 4 Arab nations? Take a look at the names we think will shine this summer in Russia.

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#1 Ramadan Sobhi - Egypt

The 21-year-old winger exudes talent and promise. However, his time at Stoke City hasn’t exactly set the world alight. A disappointing season that culminated with the relegation of the potters from the Premier League leaves Sobhi seeking pastures anew.

The World Cup provides the young star from Cairo with a platform to remind the world of his talent.

The man dubbed as ‘the new Aboutrika’ is unlikely to start for Egypt however he could prove to be a dangerous impact player to provide the Pharaohs with a different attacking option from the bench.

Saif-Eddine Khaoui - Tunisia

Khaoui was impressive against Portugal

The French-born Tunisian playmaker had an impressive season on loan from Marseille at struggling Ligue 1 outfit, Troyes.

Despite Troyes succumbing to relegation, the young midfielder showed glimpses of quality that could prove to be the creative spark which the Eagles of Carthage need in the absence of their star man Youssef Msakni.

An impressive first-half performance in Tunisia’s recent friendly against Portugal set the tone for what we can expect to see from the 23-year-old.

Hakim Ziyech - Morocco

Hakim Ziyech

Whilst Ziyech is a little more established than any of the names on our list, but his name is still largely unheralded outside of the Eredivisie. The former FC Twente man dons the famous number 10 shirt for Dutch giants Ajax.

That in itself speaks volumes as the Moroccan has displayed impressive performances as of late and is highly sought after by the likes of Liverpool, Everton and most recently AS Roma.

Though it seems inevitable that the 25-year-old will bid farewell to the Johan Cruijff Arena this summer, it won’t deter his focus from putting on a show at the grandest stage of all and proving that Mehdi Benatia is not the only star in the Moroccan ranks.

Fahad Al-Muwallad - Saudi Arabia

Fahad Al-Muwallad

Pace and good dribbling ability are enough to catch the attention of any football spectator. Blessed with both, Fahad is most definitely an exciting talent when at his best.

His decision making is questionable at times and his tendency to hold onto the ball for longer than need be are frustrating traits for any footballer (Daniel Sturridge comes to mind).

Nevertheless, the 23-year-old has the qualities to impact any game. A brief loan spell at Spanish outfit Levante this season may not have delivered Fahad much game time, however, exposure to the training methods and players of a top European club couldn’t have hurt his development.