Salman Al-Faraj

Salman Mohammed Mohammed Al-Faraj (سلمان محمد محمد الفرج; born 1 August 1989) is a Saudi Arabian professional footballer who plays as a midfielder and captains both the Al Hilal and the Saudi Arabia national team.

Club career
Al-Faraj is a one-club man of Al Hilal.

International career
Al-Faraj's first match with his national team was against Congo in an international friendly at Prince Abdullah bin Jalawi Stadium in al-Hasa, Saudi Arabia on 14 October 2012. The match ended in a 3–2 win. In December 2014, he was named in the Saudi squad for the 2015 AFC Asian Cup in Australia.

Salman's first goal with his national team was against Timor-Leste during the second round of the 2018 World Cup qualifiers at King Abdullah Sports City, in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on 3 September 2015. The match ended in a 7–0 win.

In May 2018, he was named in Saudi Arabia's preliminary squad for the 2018 World Cup in Russia. On 4 June, Salman was included in 23-man squad for the World Cup. On 25 June, Salman scored the equalizing goal and his first ever World Cup goal from the penalty kick in a 2–1 victory over Egypt in their last group stage match of the tournament; it was Saudi Arabia's lone win in the tournament as the team crashed out of the group stage.

In June 2021, he assumed the role of captain for the national team at the 2020 Summer Olympics. Subsequently, in November 2022, he earned a spot in the 26-man squad for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. However, under the coaching of Roberto Mancini, Al-Faraj was excluded from the squad for the 2023 AFC Asian Cup.

International

 * Statistics accurate as of match played 17 October 2023.

International goals

 * Scores and results list Saudi Arabia's goal tally first.

Honours
Al-Hilal
 * Saudi Pro League, 2009–10, 2010–11, 2016–17, 2017–18, 2019–20, 2020–21, 2021–22, 2023–24
 * King's Cup (Saudi Arabia): 2015, 2017, 2019–20, 2022–23, 2023–24
 * Saudi Crown Prince Cup: 2008–09, 2009–10, 2010–11, 2011–12, 2012–13, 2015–16
 * Saudi Super Cup: 2015, 2018, 2021, 2023
 * AFC Champions League: 2019, 2021