The 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers revealed that the national team lacks an outspoken striker (scorer) since the departure of international star Ali Mabkhout from the accounts of Portuguese coach Paulo Bento, even though Mabkhout still tops the list of “White” scorers historically with 85 goals, topping the Arab scorers’ rankings in… The World Cup qualifiers in general, ahead of prominent names, such as Egyptian Mohamed Salah, Algerian Riyad Mahrez, Moroccan Hakim Ziyech, and other prominent players.
“Al-Abyad” has suffered in scoring since the injury of Shabab Al-Ahly striker Sultan Adel, who scored six goals, since Pinto began relying on him to lead the attack, but the biggest impact remained the repeated absence of top scorer Mabkhout, who had scored four goals with the Portuguese coach before he was out of the picture. Completely since the Asian Nations Finals in Qatar at the beginning of this year, the light has disappeared from the “White” attack since the Mabkhout candle went out.
The team’s scoring rate declined during the third round of the World Cup qualifiers, with the “Whites” scoring only four goals during the three matches they played, an average of 1.3 per match, at a time when the team scored 34 goals during 18 official and friendly matches since Pinto took over. His technical duties with “Al-Abyad”, at a rate of 1.9 per match.
The team, led by Pinto, achieved 11 victories, tied in three matches, and lost four matches.
“Al-Abyad” had achieved its best start in the final stage of the World Cup qualifiers, when it won away from home to Qatar 3-1, but then retreated by losing at home to Iran with an unanswered goal, followed by a draw with North Korea 1-1. What made the situation difficult for “Al-Abyad” before playing the match with Uzbekistan next Tuesday.
The team occupies third place in its group, equal to Qatar in the same balance of points, three points behind Uzbekistan and Iran, who are in first and second place in the group.
For his part, the former Shabab Al-Ahly striker, Issa Obaid, criticized the Portuguese coach’s insistence on excluding Ali Mabkhout from the team’s roster for the World Cup qualifiers, and he told “Emirates Al-Youm”: “Mabkhout does not need a certificate from anyone confirming his right to be with Al-Abyad during this stage of his journey.” Al-Abyad is an international player. His numbers speak for themselves and confirm that he is the best compared to any player.
He added: “It is clear to everyone that Pinto is suffering from a problem with Ali Mabkhout. We may not know the details and reasons for it, but it has become a reality for all followers, and the time has come for the coach to stop his dispute with the Al-Nasr striker, and work for the benefit of the national team.”
He pointed out: “It is true that the national team needs everyone’s support at these times in its journey in the World Cup qualifiers, but at the same time we must not remain silent about some things that harm the Whites, and now need intervention in order to correct them.”
He continued: “There are many question marks over the coach’s decisions in the recent period, most notably the permanent exclusion of Ali Mabkhout, and the reliance on elements who do not participate primarily with their clubs in the league, at a time when the Football Association provided the coach with everything necessary in order to qualify for the 2026 World Cup, very frankly.” The situation today has become worrying after the coach’s recent decisions, at a time when we are awaiting a very difficult match against Uzbekistan, the result of which may be a turning point in the national team’s journey in the qualifiers.”
Issa Obaid:
• Mabkhout does not need testimony from anyone about his right to be with the Whites. His numbers speak for themselves.
• It is time for the coach to stop his dispute with the Al-Nasr striker and work for the benefit of the national team.
The national team’s top scorers with Pinto
Sultan Adel: 6 goals
Yahya Al-Ghassani: 5 goals
Ali Mabkhout: 4 goals
Fabio Lima: 3 goals
Ali Saleh: 3 goals
Hareb Abdullah: 3 goals
Caio Canedo: two goals
Khalifa Al Hammadi: Two goals
Tahnoon Al Zaabi: Goal
Abdullah Ramadan: Goal
Ali Salmeen: Goal
Zayed Sultan: Goal
Khaled Al-Dhanhani: Goal
Hazem Samir: Goal
List of Arab scorers in the history of World Cup qualifiers
1- Ali Mabkhout: 85 goals
2- Hussein Saeed: 78 goals
3- Bashar Abdullah: 75 goals
4- Majed Abdullah: 72 goals
5- Hossam Hassan: 68 goals
6- Jassim Al-Huwaidi: 62 goals
7- Ahmed Radhi: 62 goals
8- Mohamed Salah: 58 goals
9- Younis Mahmoud: 57 goals
10- Al-Moez Ali: 56 goals