# Salman Al-Faraj

Salman Mohammed Mohammed Al-Faraj (Arabic: سَلْمَان مُحَمَّد مُحَمَّد الْفَرَج; born 1 August 1989) is a Saudi Arabian professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Saudi First Division League club Neom and captains the Saudi Arabia national team.

## Club career
### Al Hilal

Al-Faraj was a one-club man of Al Hilal.

### Neom

On July 28, 2024, Al-Faraj completed his transfer to Neom, a team in the Saudi First Division League.

## 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, reportedly due to off-field issues and frictions.

## Career statistics
### Club

    As of match played 31 May 2024
| Club | Season | League | League | King Cup | King Cup | Crown Prince Cup | Crown Prince Cup | Asia | Asia | Other | Other | Total | Total |
| Club | Season | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| Al-Hilal | 2008–09 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 5 | 0 |
| Al-Hilal | 2009–10 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 4 | 0 |
| Al-Hilal | 2010–11 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 11 | 0 |
| Al-Hilal | 2011–12 | 15 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 0 | — | — | 26 | 1 |
| Al-Hilal | 2012–13 | 22 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 9 | 1 | — | — | 36 | 4 |
| Al-Hilal | 2013–14 | 22 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 0 | — | — | 33 | 0 |
| Al-Hilal | 2014–15 | 20 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 13 | 1 | — | — | 42 | 6 |
| Al-Hilal | 2015–16 | 19 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 36 | 3 |
| Al-Hilal | 2016–17 | 17 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 31 | 2 |
| Al-Hilal | 2017–18 | 17 | 3 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 7 | 0 | — | — | 24 | 3 |
| Al-Hilal | 2018–19 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 10 | 2 |
| Al-Hilal | 2019–20 | 19 | 2 | 3 | 0 | — | — | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 31 | 2 |
| Al-Hilal | 2020–21 | 17 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 19 | 0 |
| Al-Hilal | 2021–22 | 22 | 0 | 4 | 1 | — | — | 10 | 1 | 1 1 | 0 | 38 | 2 |
| Al-Hilal | 2022–23 | 8 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 4 | 0 | — | — | 14 | 0 |
| Al-Hilal | 2023–24 | 21 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 8 | 0 | — | — | 31 | 0 |
| Al-Hilal | Total | 242 | 17 | 33 | 2 | 19 | 3 | 90 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 391 | 25 |
| Career totals | Career totals | 242 | 17 | 33 | 2 | 19 | 3 | 90 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 391 | 25 |
* 1 2 3 4 Appearances in Saudi Super Cup
* ↑ One appearance in Arab Club Champions Cup, and one appearance in Saudi-Egyptian Super Cup
* ↑ Appearances in FIFA Club World Cup

### International

    Statistics accurate as of match played 17 October 2023.
Saudi Arabia :
| Year | Apps | Goals |
| 2012 | 2 | 0 |
| 2013 | 3 | 0 |
| 2014 | 7 | 0 |
| 2015 | 10 | 1 |
| 2016 | 8 | 0 |
| 2017 | 8 | 1 |
| 2018 | 11 | 2 |
| 2019 | 7 | 2 |
| 2020 | 0 | 0 |
| 2021 | 9 | 2 |
| 2022 | 6 | 0 |
| 2023 | 2 | 1 |
| Total | 73 | 9 |

### International goals

    Scores and results list Saudi Arabia's goal tally first.
| Goal | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
| 1. | 3 September 2015 | King Abdullah Sports City, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia | Timor-Leste | 4–0 | 7–0 | 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 2. | 7 October 2017 | King Abdullah Sports City, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia | Jamaica | 3–1 | 5–2 | Friendly |
| 3. | 9 May 2018 | Estadio Ramón de Carranza, Cádiz, Spain | Algeria | 1–0 | 2–0 | Friendly |
| 4. | 25 June 2018 | Volgograd Arena, Volgograd, Russia | Egypt | 1–1 | 2–1 | 2018 FIFA World Cup |
| 5. | 14 November 2019 | Pakhtakor Stadium, Tashkent, Uzbekistan | Uzbekistan | 1–1 | 3–2 | 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 6. | 14 November 2019 | Pakhtakor Stadium, Tashkent, Uzbekistan | Uzbekistan | 2–2 | 3–2 | 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 7. | 15 June 2021 | King Saud University Stadium, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia | Uzbekistan | 1–0 | 3–0 | 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 8. | 15 June 2021 | King Saud University Stadium, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia | Uzbekistan | 2–0 | 3–0 | 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 9. | 13 October 2023 | Estádio Municipal de Portimão, Portimão, Portugal | Nigeria | 1–0 | 2–2 | Friendly |

## 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