Ahmed Al-Ghamdi (footballer, born 2001)

Ahmed Al-Ghamdi

Al-Ghamdi playing for Saudi Arabia U23 in 2022
Personal information
Full name	Ahmed Mazen Ahmed Al-Hijazi Al-Ghamdi
Date of birth	(2001-09-21) 21 September 2001 (age 22)
Place of birth	Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
Height	1.77 m (5 ft 10 in)
Position(s)	Midfielder
Team information
Current team	Al-Ittihad
Number	27
Youth career
	Blaise Academy
	Rino's Tigers
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2019	Pacific FC	8	(1)
2020–2024	Al-Ettifaq	49	(1)
2024	→ Al-Ittihad (loan)	10	(2)
2024–	Al-Ittihad	0	(0)
International career‡
2019–2021	Saudi Arabia U20	4	(1)
2022–	Saudi Arabia U23	13	(5)
2023–	Saudi Arabia	3	(0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 27 May 2024 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 12 January 2023

Ahmed Mazen Ahmed Al-Hijazi Al-Ghamdi (born 20 September 2001) is a Saudi Arabian professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Al-Ittihad and the Saudi Arabia national team.

Personal life

Born in Jeddah, his family moved to Vancouver, British Columbia when Al-Ghamdi was one year old. When he was 18, he was accepted into the University of British Columbia. In addition to his love for football, he also enjoys basketball, having played basketball for his high school team, which he attributed to have helped him to develop his football career. ^[1]

Club career

Early career

Before turning pro, Alghamdi spent several years with Blaise Soccer Elite Academy in Vancouver. ^{[2] [3]} Alghamdi joined Vancouver Metro Soccer League side Rino's Vancouver SC as a fourteen-year-old and played three seasons of senior amateur soccer with the club's Rino's Tigers team while playing with Blaise Academy in the summer. ^[2]

Pacific FC

On 1 May 2019, Alghamdi made his professional debut for Canadian Premier League side Pacific FC, and was officially announced as a signing two days later. ^{[4] [5]} He scored his first professional goal on July 1 against Cavalry FC. ^[6] On 23 January 2020, the club announced it would allow Alghamdi to pursue playing opportunities in Saudi Arabia. ^[7]

Al-Ettifaq

In January 2020, Al-Ghamdi signed a five-year contract with Saudi Professional League side Al-Ettifaq. ^[8] He made his debut for Al-Ettifaq against Al-Qadsiah on April 10, 2021. ^[9] On 31 January 2022, Al-Ghamdi renewed his contract with Al-Ettifaq until the end of the 2026–27 season. ^[10] On 21 May 2022, Al-Ghamdi scored his first goal for Al-Ettifaq in a 5–2 win against Al-Hazem. ^[11]

Al-Ittihad (loan)

On 28 January 2024, Al-Ghamdi joined Al-Ittihad on a six-month loan. ^[12] On 4 February 2024, Al-Ghamdi made his debut for Al-Ittihad as a 75th substitute in a 4–0 win in the King Cup quarter-final match against Al-Faisaly. ^[13] On 7 February 2024, Al-Ghamdi made his league debut in the 3–0 win against Al-Tai. ^[14] On 16 March 2024, Al-Ghamdi made his first start as well as score his first goal for Al-Ittihad in the 4–2 win against Al-Fateh. ^[15] Al-Ghamdi ended his loan spell at Al-Ittihad making 15 appearances in all competitions and scoring two goals as well as recording two assists.

Al-Ittihad

On 4 June 2024, Al-Ghamdi joined Al-Ittihad on a permanent deal. ^[16]

International career

Because of his dual nationality, he is available to represent his country of birth Saudi Arabia or his adopted country Canada. ^[17]

In July 2018, Alghamdi was called up by the Saudi Arabia U-19 team for an evaluation camp ahead of the 2018 AFC U-19 Championship, but was not selected for the final squad. ^[2] In July 2019, Alghamdi was called up by the Saudi Arabia U-20 team for a pair of friendlies against Bahrain and Tajikistan. ^[18]

In November 2019, Alghamdi was called up for the 2020 AFC U-19 Championship qualification tournament. On 6 November, he started and scored a penalty for Saudi Arabia in a 1–0 win over Afghanistan. ^{[19] [20]} On 8 November, he came on as a substitute in a 4–0 win over India. ^{[21] [22]}

Alghamdi was called up to the Saudi Arabia U-23 team for the first time in 2022 for the 2022 AFC U-23 Asian Cup. Alghamdi started in the final and scored the first goal in the 48' minute to give the falcons the lead, the match ended 2–0 and Saudi Arabia won their first AFC U-23 Asian Cup title.

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 27 May 2024 ^[4]

Club	Season	League		King Cup		Asia		Other		Total
		Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Al-Ettifaq	2019–20	0	0	0	0	—		—		0	0
	2020–21	1	0	0	0	—		—		1	0
	2021–22	13	1	0	0	—		—		13	1
	2022–23	24	0	1	0	—		—		25	0
	2023–24	11	0	1	0	—		—		12	0
	Total	49	1	2	0	0	0	0	0	51	1
Al-Ittihad (loan)	2023–24	10	2	2	0	3	0	0	0	15	2
Career totals		59	3	4	0	3	0	0	0	66	3

Honours

Saudi Arabia U23

• AFC U-23 Asian Cup: 2022
• WAFF U-23 Championship: 2022

Individual

• WAFF U-23 Championship Best Player: 2022
• Saudi Pro League Rising Star of the Month: March 2024

References

1. https://www.spl.com.sa/en/news/493180/ahmed-al-ghamdi-from-canada-to-saudi-arabia-now-shining-at-al-ittihad
2. "Rino's Vancouver SC Player Joins Saudi Arabia Youth National Team". Rino's Vancouver SC. 24 July 2018. Retrieved 2 May 2019.
3. "Rino's Vancouver SC on Twitter". twitter.com. Rino's Vancouver SC. 25 July 2018. Retrieved 2 May 2019.
4. "Ahmed Alghamdi". Soccerway. Retrieved 2 May 2019.
5. "Pacific FC signs 17-year-old midfielder Ahmed Alghamdi". Pacific FC. 3 May 2019. Archived from the original on 4 May 2019. Retrieved 4 May 2019.
6. "HIGHLIGHTS: Pacific stuns Cavalry in wild back-and-forth Spring finale". July 1, 2019.
7. @Pacificfccpl (January 23, 2020). "Pacific FC announced the club has agreed to have Ahmed Alghamdi pursue playing opportunities in Saudi Arabia. Alghamdi played for the Saudi Arabia U-20 national team last summer" (Tweet). Retrieved 23 January 2020– via Twitter.
8. @Ettifaq (January 27, 2020). "إدارة نادي #الاتفاق تتعاقد مع لاعب الوسط أحمد الغامدي لمدة 5 سنوات" [Al-Itifaq club management has contracted midfielder Ahmed Al-Ghamdi for a period of 5 years] (Tweet) – via Twitter.
9. "Al Ittifaq vs. Al-Qadsiah - 10 April 2021 - Soccerway". April 10, 2021.
10. "الاتفاق يجدد عقد لاعبه الغامدي حتى 2027".
11. "بخماسية .. الاتفاق "ينتفض" ويوقع صك هبوط الحزم".
12. "الاتحاد يكمل صفقة الغامدي".
13. "AL FAISALY VS. AL ITTIHAD 0 - 4".
14. "AL TAI VS. AL ITTIHAD 0 - 3".
15. "المرة الثانية.. الاتحاد يلتهم الفتح «رايح جاي»".
16. "رسمياً.. الاتحاد يفعل بند شراء الغامدي من الاتفاق - عاجل".
17. "Ahmed Alghamdi is Juggling School, Soccer and the Ball as He Turns Pro at 17". 2 May 2019.
18. "Ahmed Alghamdi Gets Saudi Arabia U-20 Callup". Northern Tribune. 26 July 2019. Retrieved 27 July 2019.
19. "Saudi Arabia 1–0 Afghanistan". AFC. Retrieved 23 January 2020.
20. "Uzbekistan flex muscles, Saudi Arabia edge Afghanistan". AFC. 6 November 2019. Retrieved 25 January 2020.
21. "India 0–4 Saudi Arabia". AFC. Retrieved 23 January 2020.
22. "Saudi Arabia, Uzbekistan notch key wins". AFC. 8 November 2019. Retrieved 25 January 2020.

External links

• Ahmed Al-Ghamdi at Soccerway