By Martyn Herman
KAISTERSLAUTERN, June 23 - Saudi Arabia goalkeeper
Mohamed Al Deayea and striker Sami Al Jaber both retired from
international football on Friday after the 1-0 defeat by Spain
ended their World Cup hopes.
Al Deayea holds the world record for international caps with
181 for Saudi Arabia since making his debut in 1990. Both
players are veterans of four World Cups and helped the Saudis
reach the second round in 1994.
"I am very proud. This was my fourth World Cup and it will
have a great memory for me because I managed to score a goal
(against Tunisia) and we played a great game against Spain
today," Al Jaber, who has 163 caps told Reuters.
"It feels just like yesterday that I started in my first
World Cup (in 1994). Hopefully Saudi Arabia will develop their
level and I will be able to help them."
A spokesman for the national team confirmed that both
players will continue playing for the Saudi club Al Hilal.
Al Deayea and Al Jaber were both recalled to the national
squad by Brazilian coach Marcos Paqueta during the qualification
campaign, although Al Deayea did not add to his tally of caps at
the finals in which Mabrouk Zaid played all three games.
Al Jaber, who had a brief spell in English football with
Wolverhampton Wanderers in 2000, said the performance against
Spain had helped to make up for the 4-0 hammering by Ukraine in
their second match.
"Today we showed that we prepared well for this World Cup
and that the Ukraine result was just a bad day for us," said Al
Jaber, who scored his 44th international goal in the 2-2 draw
against Tunisia.
"If we had beaten Tunisia then maybe things could have been
different, we were unlucky to concede a late equaliser."
With the Saudi soccer federation notorious for hiring and
firing coaches, the striker said he hoped Paqueta, who also
coached Al Hilal, would stay on.
"He must be given more time to develop the national team,"
he said.