Saudi Arabia exclude Musab Al-Juwair from Gulf Cup camp after repeated disciplinary breach

Saudi Arabia midfielder Musab Al-Juwair was removed from the team’s training camp in Jeddah after breaking camp rules for a second time, executive director Fahad Al-Mufarrij has said.

Al-Mufarrij denied reports that Al-Juwair’s exclusion was linked to the player ordering food from outside the team hotel, insisting the decision was disciplinary and unrelated to any meal.

“Musab committed a violation during the camp. It was a disciplinary matter, and things would not reach the point of removing a player from the national team camp because of a meal,” Al-Mufarrij told Al-Riyadiyah.

He said the incident was initially identified and that Al-Juwair had received a verbal warning from both the coaching and administrative staff. When the offence was repeated, the two departments decided to send him home to protect discipline within the camp.

“There are rules and regulations, and they were presented and explained to the players from the beginning of the camp,” Al-Mufarrij added. “We have a system, and if you overlook an offence by one player, the camp would become chaotic. No-one accepts that. Al-Juwair published an apology and acknowledged the punishment.”

Al-Mufarrij declined to reveal the nature of the breach, but said Saudi Arabia needed all of its players and that he trusted the rest of the squad. He also called on supporters to attend the Gulf Cup matches and back the national team.

Al-Juwair apologises

The 23-year-old midfielder apologised for the conduct that led to his removal from the camp ahead of Gulf Cup 27, which begins in Jeddah in three days.

“With reference to the statement issued by the Saudi national team media centre regarding my exclusion from the national team camp, I would like to clarify to the sporting community and Saudi fans that I take full responsibility for my conduct,” Al-Juwair wrote on Instagram.

“I acknowledge my mistake without justification or excuses. I offer my sincere apologies to the Minister of Sport, the president of the Saudi Arabian Football Federation, the coaching and administrative staff, my team-mates and the national team supporters. I hope you will accept my apology.”

He added that he fully respected the decision and would learn from the incident, while remaining committed to the responsibility of representing the national team. Al-Juwair also said he would continue to support Saudi Arabia and wished the team success.

A report by Asharq Al-Awsat said the decision had no technical basis and was intended to deter further breaches and maintain order in the camp. Al-Juwair had appeared in a training video on Saturday evening before his exclusion was announced after midnight.

The report said officials feared tolerating any breach could encourage other players to repeat it, leading them to take firm action to uphold the regulations equally.

Al-Juwair has won 39 international caps for Saudi Arabia, scoring six goals and providing four assists.

Saudi Arabia will train at 19:00 local time on Sunday at the training grounds of King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah. The opening 15 minutes will be available to the media.

They begin their Gulf Cup campaign against Kuwait on Wednesday, 23 September, face Oman on Saturday, 26 September, and finish the group stage against Iraq on Tuesday, 29 September.