Saudi Arabia’s Musab Al-Juwayr apologises after Gulf Cup 27 exclusion

Musab Al-Juwayr has apologised for the conduct that led to his removal from Saudi Arabia’s training camp ahead of the Gulf Cup 27, accepting full responsibility for his actions without offering any justification.

The 23-year-old midfielder was unexpectedly left out of the squad’s camp in Jeddah for disciplinary reasons, around three days before the start of the tournament. The decision by Saudi Arabia’s coaching and administrative staff surprised supporters, with no further details initially provided.

Al-Juwayr addressed the matter in a statement posted on his Instagram account.

“With reference to the statement issued by the Saudi Arabia 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 accept full responsibility for the conduct I displayed,” he said.

“I acknowledge my mistake without justification or excuses.”

He added: “I offer my sincere apologies to His Highness the Minister of Sport, the president of the Saudi Arabian Football Federation, the coaching and administrative staff, my team-mates and the supporters of our national team. I hope you will accept my apology.”

Al-Juwayr also said he respected the decision and intended to learn from the incident.

“I fully respect the decision that has been issued and am determined to learn from this situation and to conduct myself in a way that reflects the responsibility of representing the national team,” he said.

“Our national team will always have my support and backing. I wish it continued success. Please accept my sincere respect and appreciation.”

Report outlines reason for decision

A report by Asharq Al-Awsat said Al-Juwayr’s exclusion was not related to footballing considerations, but was instead intended to reinforce discipline within the camp.

The midfielder had appeared alongside his team-mates in a training video published by Saudi Arabia’s media centre on Saturday evening. However, shortly after midnight, the national team management announced his exclusion, prompting widespread interest in Saudi football circles.

According to the report, officials believed that failing to respond firmly to any breach could encourage similar incidents among other players. They therefore opted for a decisive measure designed to uphold the regulations and ensure that all members of the squad were treated equally.

Al-Juwayr has made 39 international appearances for Saudi Arabia, scoring six goals and providing four assists.

Saudi Arabia will continue preparations on Sunday with a training session at 19:00 at the facilities of King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah. The first 15 minutes of the session will be open to the media.

The team begins its Gulf Cup 27 campaign against Kuwait on Wednesday, 23 September. Saudi Arabia will then face Oman on Saturday, 26 September, before completing its group-stage fixtures against Iraq on Tuesday, 29 September.