Khalil Ibrahim Al-Zayani
Encyclopedia
Khalil Al-Zayani is a Saudi Arabia
n football coach.
Khalil Al-Zayani is part of Al-Zayani family
residing in Dammam city
in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia
.
to victory over China in the final of the Asian Cup in 1984
. He also helped the squad qualify for the Olympic Games
in Los Angeles
, California
of the same year.
Al-Zayani played for Al-Ittifaq
from 1962–1971, and now works for the Al-Kass channel as a sports analyst.
Al-Zayani is recognised as the father of coaching in Saudi Arabia
after emerging as the first great tactician in the Kingdom. He was one of the “2010 AFC Coach of the Year” award winners in the AFC ceremony held in Kuala Lumpur on November 23, 2010.
He took Saudi Arabia
to new heights in the continent as he led the country to victory in the 1984 AFC Asian Cup
in Singapore
.
Zayani’s rise as a coach was a natural progression given the success he had as a player. He played for Al-Ittifaq
club from 1962 to 1972, captaining the side in 1965 when they won the Crown Prince Cup
.
He was also part of the team who won the 1968 King Cup
.
His coaching career started soon after he retired as a player, as an assistant for the Al-Ittifaq
first team. In 1976, he was promoted to head coach.
That particular tenure lasted two years but he had several stints with the club, winning the Saudi League
in 1982 and 1987 and the Gulf Club competition
in 1983 and 1988, the same year they won the Arab Champions League
.
coach, a mission he first started in March, 1984. That was when he was called up by his national federation and asked to travel to Muscat
, Oman
to replace Mario Zagalo, coach of the Brazil
World Cup
-winning team of 1970 that featured Pele
.
Zagalo was let go after a 4-0 defeat to Iraq
as the Saudis collected only one win from their first three matches.
Zayani, however, proved up to the task as he oversaw a draw against Kuwait
and victories over United Arab Emirates
and Bahrain
as Saudi Arabia
finished third.
In 1984, he also took Saudi Arabia to the Olympic Games
finals in Los Angeles
, which was considered a significant achievement at the time, but his sights were firmly fixed on the AFC Asian Cup
scheduled for December that year.
Zayani called up several younger players, including 19-year-old Mohaisen Al-Jam'an
, who would go on to score twice in the final.
Saudi Arabia
won Group A ahead of Kuwait
, Qatar
, Syria
and Korea Republic. They followed up with a 5-4 penalty shootout victory over Iran
after a 1-1 draw in extra time.
title.
Al-Zayani said about the tournament:
. He is also an occasional television pundit.
Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
n football coach.
Khalil Al-Zayani is part of Al-Zayani family
Al-Zayani
Al-Zayani is a Sunni Muslim family mainly situated in Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait. The Al-Zayani family stretches as far west as Morocco, and ruled Morocco for some time. Large numbers of the family in Bahrain came as early as the mid-19th century with the Utub tribe, which is the modern day...
residing in Dammam city
Dammam
Dammam is the capital of the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia, the most oil-rich region in the world. The judicial and administrative bodies of the province and several government departments are located in the city. Dammam is the largest city in the Eastern Province and third largest in Saudi...
in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
.
Career
Al-Zayani led the Saudi Arabia national football teamSaudi Arabia national football team
Saudi Arabia national football team is the national team of Saudi Arabia and is controlled by the Saudi Arabia Football Federation...
to victory over China in the final of the Asian Cup in 1984
1984 AFC Asian Cup
The 1984 AFC Asian Cup was the eighth edition of the Asian Nations Cup, the football championship of Asia . It was hosted by Singapore between December 1 and December 16. The field of ten teams was split into two groups of five...
. He also helped the squad qualify for the Olympic Games
1984 Summer Olympics
The 1984 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event held in Los Angeles, California, United States in 1984...
in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
of the same year.
Al-Zayani played for Al-Ittifaq
Al-Ittifaq
Ettifaq FC or Al-Ettifaq Club is a Saudi Arabian professional football club based in Dammam. 'Ittifaq' is Arabic for cooperation. Al Ettifaq was established after the merging of three clubs in the City of Dammam at the year 1944. Al Ettifaq is the first Saudi team to win an international title -...
from 1962–1971, and now works for the Al-Kass channel as a sports analyst.
Al-Zayani is recognised as the father of coaching in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
after emerging as the first great tactician in the Kingdom. He was one of the “2010 AFC Coach of the Year” award winners in the AFC ceremony held in Kuala Lumpur on November 23, 2010.
He took Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
to new heights in the continent as he led the country to victory in the 1984 AFC Asian Cup
1984 AFC Asian Cup
The 1984 AFC Asian Cup was the eighth edition of the Asian Nations Cup, the football championship of Asia . It was hosted by Singapore between December 1 and December 16. The field of ten teams was split into two groups of five...
in Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
.
Zayani’s rise as a coach was a natural progression given the success he had as a player. He played for Al-Ittifaq
Al-Ittifaq
Ettifaq FC or Al-Ettifaq Club is a Saudi Arabian professional football club based in Dammam. 'Ittifaq' is Arabic for cooperation. Al Ettifaq was established after the merging of three clubs in the City of Dammam at the year 1944. Al Ettifaq is the first Saudi team to win an international title -...
club from 1962 to 1972, captaining the side in 1965 when they won the Crown Prince Cup
Crown Prince Cup
The Crown Prince Cup, officially known as , is the top knockout tournament of the Saudi Arabia football.The King's Cup, officially known as , was a Saudi football tournament created in 1956...
.
He was also part of the team who won the 1968 King Cup
Crown Prince Cup
The Crown Prince Cup, officially known as , is the top knockout tournament of the Saudi Arabia football.The King's Cup, officially known as , was a Saudi football tournament created in 1956...
.
His coaching career started soon after he retired as a player, as an assistant for the Al-Ittifaq
Al-Ittifaq
Ettifaq FC or Al-Ettifaq Club is a Saudi Arabian professional football club based in Dammam. 'Ittifaq' is Arabic for cooperation. Al Ettifaq was established after the merging of three clubs in the City of Dammam at the year 1944. Al Ettifaq is the first Saudi team to win an international title -...
first team. In 1976, he was promoted to head coach.
That particular tenure lasted two years but he had several stints with the club, winning the Saudi League
Saudi Premier League
The Saudi Professional League, officially known as , is the main football competition in Saudi Arabia. The first competition was held in the year of 1976–77...
in 1982 and 1987 and the Gulf Club competition
Gulf Club Champions Cup
The GCC Champions League , formerly known as the Arabian Gulf Cup for Clubs , is an annually organized football league tournament for club of the Arab states...
in 1983 and 1988, the same year they won the Arab Champions League
Arab Champions League
The Arab Champions League is a football tournament for clubs in the Arab world. It was inspired by the UEFA Champions League.The Arab Champions League was first known as the Arab Club Champions Cup, and established in 1982. In 2001, it merged with the Arab Cup Winners' Cup to form the new Prince...
.
National call-up
In between he was successful as Saudi ArabiaSaudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
coach, a mission he first started in March, 1984. That was when he was called up by his national federation and asked to travel to Muscat
Muscat, Oman
Muscat is the capital of Oman. It is also the seat of government and largest city in the Governorate of Muscat. As of 2008, the population of the Muscat metropolitan area was 1,090,797. The metropolitan area spans approximately and includes six provinces called wilayats...
, Oman
Oman
Oman , officially called the Sultanate of Oman , is an Arab state in southwest Asia on the southeast coast of the Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered by the United Arab Emirates to the northwest, Saudi Arabia to the west, and Yemen to the southwest. The coast is formed by the Arabian Sea on the...
to replace Mario Zagalo, coach of the Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
World Cup
FIFA World Cup
The FIFA World Cup, often simply the World Cup, is an international association football competition contested by the senior men's national teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association , the sport's global governing body...
-winning team of 1970 that featured Pele
Pelé
However, Pelé has always maintained that those are mistakes, that he was actually named Edson and that he was born on 23 October 1940.), best known by his nickname Pelé , is a retired Brazilian footballer. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest football players of all time...
.
Zagalo was let go after a 4-0 defeat to Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
as the Saudis collected only one win from their first three matches.
Zayani, however, proved up to the task as he oversaw a draw against Kuwait
Kuwait
The State of Kuwait is a sovereign Arab state situated in the north-east of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the south at Khafji, and Iraq to the north at Basra. It lies on the north-western shore of the Persian Gulf. The name Kuwait is derived from the...
and victories over United Arab Emirates
United Arab Emirates
The United Arab Emirates, abbreviated as the UAE, or shortened to "the Emirates", is a state situated in the southeast of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia on the Persian Gulf, bordering Oman, and Saudi Arabia, and sharing sea borders with Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and Iran.The UAE is a...
and Bahrain
Bahrain
' , officially the Kingdom of Bahrain , is a small island state near the western shores of the Persian Gulf. It is ruled by the Al Khalifa royal family. The population in 2010 stood at 1,214,705, including 235,108 non-nationals. Formerly an emirate, Bahrain was declared a kingdom in 2002.Bahrain is...
as Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
finished third.
In 1984, he also took Saudi Arabia to the Olympic Games
1984 Summer Olympics
The 1984 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event held in Los Angeles, California, United States in 1984...
finals in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, which was considered a significant achievement at the time, but his sights were firmly fixed on the AFC Asian Cup
AFC Asian Cup
The AFC Asian Cup is an international association football tournament run by the Asian Football Confederation . It is the second oldest continental football championship in the world after Copa América. The winning team becomes the champion of Asia and automatically qualifies for the FIFA...
scheduled for December that year.
Zayani called up several younger players, including 19-year-old Mohaisen Al-Jam'an
Mohaisen Al-Jam'an
Mohaisen Al-Jam'an in full Mohaisen Mubarak Jam'an Al Dosari is a former Saudi football player. He represented the Saudi national team during the period 1984-1994.-Early career:...
, who would go on to score twice in the final.
Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
won Group A ahead of Kuwait
Kuwait
The State of Kuwait is a sovereign Arab state situated in the north-east of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the south at Khafji, and Iraq to the north at Basra. It lies on the north-western shore of the Persian Gulf. The name Kuwait is derived from the...
, Qatar
Qatar
Qatar , also known as the State of Qatar or locally Dawlat Qaṭar, is a sovereign Arab state, located in the Middle East, occupying the small Qatar Peninsula on the northeasterly coast of the much larger Arabian Peninsula. Its sole land border is with Saudi Arabia to the south, with the rest of its...
, Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
and Korea Republic. They followed up with a 5-4 penalty shootout victory over Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
after a 1-1 draw in extra time.
Asian Cup success
Al-Zayani’s decision to go with youth paid off with the Saudis defeating China 2-0 in the final for their first-ever AFC Asian CupAFC Asian Cup
The AFC Asian Cup is an international association football tournament run by the Asian Football Confederation . It is the second oldest continental football championship in the world after Copa América. The winning team becomes the champion of Asia and automatically qualifies for the FIFA...
title.
Al-Zayani said about the tournament:
“That was our first ever title, and everyone was happy to get such a magnificent continental success..
“The psychological side of football is very important and this should work hand-in-hand with the tactical side.
“The Asian Cup1984 AFC Asian CupThe 1984 AFC Asian Cup was the eighth edition of the Asian Nations Cup, the football championship of Asia . It was hosted by Singapore between December 1 and December 16. The field of ten teams was split into two groups of five...
in SingaporeSingaporeSingapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
had always special meaning, not only for me but for all the people involved in Saudi football at the time.
“It was the start of a great era for us and we became one of the strongest sides in Asia in the following years.”
Current Activities
In 2002, after a long career as a coach, Zayani decided to move from the bench to behind-the-desk role, as vice-president of Al-IttifaqAl-Ittifaq
Ettifaq FC or Al-Ettifaq Club is a Saudi Arabian professional football club based in Dammam. 'Ittifaq' is Arabic for cooperation. Al Ettifaq was established after the merging of three clubs in the City of Dammam at the year 1944. Al Ettifaq is the first Saudi team to win an international title -...
. He is also an occasional television pundit.