Sami Al Jaber

Only the few

Saudi Arabia's Sami al-Jaber (R) is chased by Atabek Shamuradov of Uzbekistan (R) during their first round match in the Asian Cup 2000 soccer tournament 20 October 2000 in Sidon. Saudi Arabia scored the opening goal of the group C match and will go through to the next round if they win. AFP PHOTO/Saeed KHAN

Talismanic Saudi Arabia skipper Sami Al Jaber enters a tiny and privileged elite group of men who have featured in four World Cups at Germany 2006, and has been a key factor in all four of those qualifying campaigns.

His remarkable World Cup run began with a qualifying hat-trick in a 4-3 win over Iran that booked his nation a place in their first ever finals at USA 1994.

In their first World Cup win, Al Jaber converted a penalty to seal a 1-0 victory over Morocco before the Saudis also beat Belgium thanks to an unforgettable solo effort from Saeed Owairan that sent the 'Sons of the Desert' into the round of 16, where Sweden beat them 3-1.

French defender Marcel Desailly (R) dribbles past Saudi-Arabian forward Sami al Jaber (L) 18 June at Stade de France in Saint-Denis, north of Paris, during the 1998 Soccer World Cup group C match between France and Saudi Arabia. France beat Saudi Arabia 4-0 to book their place in the World Cup second round. (ELECTRONIC IMAGE)

Saudi Arabia drew hosts France and Denmark at the 1998 World Cup and lost to both teams before Al Jaber became the first Asian player to score in two straight World Cups when he helped his side scrape a 2-2 draw with South Africa.

The short but speedy striker with the textbook technique was again influential in qualifying for the 2002 World Cup with a goal against Thailand in the match that booked their ticket to Japan and South Korea.

Meltdown

Saudi Arabia's forward Sami Al Jaber walks off the field behind midfielder Mohammed Noor (8) after Saudi Arabia lost match 4 group E of the 2002 FIFA World Cup Korea Japan against Germany at the Sapporo Dome in Sapporo, Japan, 01 June, 2002. Germany won 8-0. AFP PHOTO GABRIEL BOUYS

But the dream turned into a nightmare for Al Jaber as the Saudi side were humiliated in their first match going down to an 8-0 mauling from Germany. He missed the next game, a narrow 1-0 loss to the Cameroon, through injury and was rushed to a Tokyo hospital with appendicitis ahead of the final first round match, a 3-0 defeat to Ireland.

As he had signalled ahead of the finals he would be retiring after the tournament, his international career looked like it had gone out with a whimper.

But he returned to the Saudi side that was the surprise package of the Asia zone in qualifying for 2006, scoring twice in the 3-0 win over Uzbekistan in June, 2005 that sealed their place in the finals.

Sami Al-Jaber, captain of Saudi club al-Hilal, receives the trophy from Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, head of the Qatari Olympic Committee, after his team defeated South Korea's Chonbuk Hyundai in the Asian Cup Winners' Cup final in Doha 30 March 2002. Al-Hilal won 2-1. AFP PHOTO/Karim JAAFAR

As a youngster he was recruited to the Al Hilal youth team and came through the youth ranks there to enjoy a long career with them. He helped Al Hilal to an Asian Cup triumph in 1996 and to a Saudi Championship and Cup winners cup double in 2002.

He also spent a brief but fruitless spell with English first division club Wolves, playing rarely due to injury and travel.

Al Jaber, now over the landmark of 150 international appearances, will likely finish his career in 2006, falling short of his compatriot Mohammad Deayea's world record of 173 caps between 1990 and 2004.