Meet the Arab stars shining in the Arab Cup

The Arab Cup Qatar 2025 will highlight a group of prominent Arab players who have made history with their national teams in regional, continental, and international competitions, and who are expected to play a significant role in this eleventh edition of the tournament. Akram Afif, the star of the Qatari national team and Al Sadd, is at the forefront, leading Al Annabi's ambitions in their fourth appearance at the Arab Cup, especially after their historic qualification for the 2026 World Cup. The 29-year-old Afif is distinguished by his tactical intelligence and excellent positioning inside the penalty area, along with his remarkable ability to penetrate defenses, making him a key element in the quest to achieve Qatar's first Arab title, after finishing as runner-up in the previous ten editions. In Algeria, Yacine Brahimi, the Al-Gharafa player, remains a key asset for national team coach Madjid Bougherra. Brahimi, who led his club to the top of the league, boasts impressive international experience, having played 69 matches for the "Desert Warriors" and scored 15 goals. He also had a prominent role in the 2014 World Cup in Brazil and won the Best Player award in the last edition of the Arab Cup. On the Moroccan side, Abderrazak Hamdallah is considered one of the most prominent strikers, although his time with the national team is relatively short compared to his distinguished club career. Hamdallah, the Al-Shabab striker, has played 25 matches for the "Atlas Lions" and won the 2012 Qatar World Cup and the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations with them. Meanwhile, in Tunisia, coach Sami Trabelsi has high hopes for the young Augsburg star, Ismail Gharbi (21 years old), who is expected to lead the attack and create a significant offensive threat for the Tunisian national team, runners-up in the last edition. In the Egyptian national team, Mohamed Elneny, formerly of Arsenal and currently with Al Jazira, stands out as one of the most experienced players, set to make his 100th international appearance against Kuwait. Elneny (33 years old) was the first Egyptian to join Arsenal, making 161 appearances for the London club and contributing to several domestic titles. Saudi Arabia boasts its star player, Salem Al-Dawsari, of Al-Hilal, who won the 2025 AFC Player of the Year award. Al-Dawsari (34 years old) has 99 international caps and 24 goals, and is known for his ability to decide big matches through his individual skills and his goal-scoring and playmaking prowess. Jordan is relying on its striker, Yazan Al-Naimat, who has been leading his national team since 2021 and played a key role in guiding Jordan to its first-ever qualification for the 2026 World Cup. Al-Naimat showed outstanding levels with the Jordanian national team, scoring 22 goals in 56 matches, and played an active role in continental tournaments such as the 2021 Arab Cup and the 2023 Asian Cup. In Syria, Omar Khribin, the Al-Wahda player, remains one of the most prominent stars of Arab and Asian football, having played 58 international matches and scored 29 goals, making him a prominent goalscorer in the history of his national team.