Saad Al-Shehri

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Al-Shehri's managerial journey started in the grassroots ranks before ascending to high-stakes national duties. In 2010, he took charge of Al-Qadsiah's U17 team, securing promotion to the U17 Premier League and later winning the U19 title in the 2011–12 season. His breakthrough on the big stage came after leading the Saudi Arabia U20 to the final of the 2016 AFC U-19 Championship, where they lost to Japan on penalties. He then guided the team to the Round of 16 at the 2017 FIFA U-20 World Cup, equaling their best-ever performance. His most significant achievements arrived with the Saudi Arabia U23 national team. After a heartbreaking loss to South Korea in extra time during the 2020 AFC U-23 Championship final, he redeemed himself in 2022. He led the squad to victory against hosts Uzbekistan, winning their first-ever AFC U-23 Asian Cup thanks to goals from Ahmed Al-Ghamdi and Firas Al-Buraikan.

In Their Own Story

The climax of Saad Al-Shehri's career arrived in the 2022 AFC U-23 Asian Cup final against Uzbekistan. With over 30,000 fans filling the stadium on home soil for the hosts, Saudi Arabia faced a tough contest until Ahmed Al-Ghamdi broke the deadlock in the 48th minute with a strike into the top corner. Just fifteen minutes later, Turki Al-Ammar found Firas Al-Buraikan, who fired a shot into the bottom corner to double the lead in the 74th minute. Despite desperate pushes from Uzbekistan, Saudi Arabia held on to win their first continental title and secure their first Olympic appearance since 1996. This victory finally gave Al-Shehri his first major trophy with the national teams, correcting the heartbreak of previous finals against Japan and South Korea.

Reader's Guide

Fans should note that while Al-Shehri played for Al-Nassr, his most celebrated contributions came as a manager. He briefly managed Al-Nassr's U19 team from May 2013, leading them to the 2014–2015 U19 Premier League championship. His first senior managerial role was an interim stint at Al-Ettifaq in December 2017 after Miodrag Ješić's dismissal; he lifted the team from second bottom to fourth place, securing their best league finish since 2010–11. He also managed the Saudi Arabia U23 team during the 2018 Asian Games and served as an interim coach for the senior national team in December 2022 during the Arabian Gulf Cup, fielding a mix of U23 players and uncapped seniors.

Did You Know?

• Al-Shehri led the Saudi Arabia U23 team to their first-ever AFC U-23 Asian Cup title in 2022, defeating hosts Uzbekistan 2–0.
• He managed the Eastern Region Education Team starting in 2008, mentoring future stars like Yasser Al-Shahrani and Abdullah Al-Hafith.
• As a player, he represented Saudi Arabia at the 1999 FIFA World Youth Championship in Nigeria with the U20 national team.
• In his first full season managing Al-Nassr's U19s (2014–2015), he secured the U19 Premier League championship.
• He led Saudi Arabia to the 2020 Summer Olympics for the first time since 1996, though the team finished last in their group without a point.