Hamad Al Montashiri: Defender of the future

Source: Al Watan, June 4th

The Saudi and Ittihadi defender Hamad Al Montashiri is participating in his first World Cup with great excitement. The 23-year defender was awarded the best player in Asia for 2005 after intense competition from his teammate Sami Jaber and Uzbekistani player Maxim for the award.

Montashiri waits for the start of the World Cup with great patient, so he can prove himself to the world of where he has reached after leading his club to various trophies locally, internationally and leading the national team to win the Gulf Cup in 2002 and allowing the Saudi team to reach for the fourth time to the World Cup.

Montashiri was born in 1982 in Jeddah and spend his early life living with his father in a compound of the National Guard as his father was part of the military. His football career started in the school and as he grew up, his football skills increased. His close relatives advised him to join one of the Saudi clubs.

For his love for Ittihad, he joined the Ittihadi training, but failed to get the attention of the coach of under 20 years old team. That didn’t stop him, but after the third try, the coach was convinced and quickly signed him before another club takes him. He was only 20 years old when he signed with the club.

In a short while, he proved his presence and moved to the first team of the club, under the Argentinean Coach Ardilis and played beside experienced players such Muhammad Al Khilawi, Bassem Al Yammi and Hussain Mabrouk.

The lights fell on him in 2001, when his club played against Istaqlal of Iran as part of Asian Championship in which he scored the winning goal – 3/2. Instead of celebrating, he took the ball to the center as an eager to score the fourth one. Ittihad ex-president said “this player play with his brain”. After this his salary was raised.

In 2002, he joined the national team which was preparing for the Gulf Cup that took place in Riyadh, in which Saudi Arabia won the trophy. He only played for 10 minutes in the game against Qatar.

His international career took a jump after the World Cup 2002, in which he played a start-up in 8th Arab Cup in Kuwait, then 16th Gulf Cup, then Asian Cup in China, 17th Gulf Cup and qualifying games for the World Cup.