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Majed Abdullahh

Majed with Saudi Arabia in 1984

Personal information

Date of birth

11 January 1959 (age 66)

Place of birth

Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

Height

1.90 m (6 ft 3 in)

Playing position

Striker

Youth career

1975–1977

Al-Nassr

Senior career*

Years

Team

Apps^†

(Gls)^†

1977–1998

Al-Nassr

194

(189)

Total

194

(189)

National team

1975–1977

Saudi Arabia U17

(7)

1977–1994

Saudi Arabia

117

(72)

Honours

Men's football

Representing Saudi Arabia
AFC Asian Cup
Winner	1984 Singapore
Winner	1988 Qatar

Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.

† Appearances (Goals).

Majed Ahmed Abdullah (Arabic: مَاجِد أَحْمَد عَبْد الله; born January 11, 1959) is a famous former Saudi Arabian football player. He was a fantastic striker for Al-Nassr club and the Saudi Arabia national team. People often called him "The Arabian Pelé" because he was so good!

Majed is the all-time leading goal scorer for Saudi Arabia, with 72 goals in 117 games. For his club, Al-Nassr, he is also their record goal scorer. He is also the top scorer in the Saudi Pro League. Many people think he is one of the greatest strikers ever from Western Asia.

He spent his whole club career playing for Al-Nassr for 21 years. During this time, Al-Nassr became one of the strongest teams in Saudi and Asian football. With Majed leading the attack, Al-Nassr won five League titles and four King Cup titles. They also won the 1997–98 Asian Cup Winners' Cup. Majed was the top scorer in the Saudi League six times. He stopped playing football in 1998 after Al-Nassr won the Asian Cup Winners' Cup Final.

Majed also had great success with the national team. In 1984, Saudi Arabia played in their first big international tournament, the Olympic Games in Los Angeles. Majed scored their only goal there. Later in 1984, Saudi Arabia won the Asian Cup in Singapore for the first time, beating China 2–0. Majed scored the second goal in that final. Four years later, in 1988, he scored twice as the Saudi team won the Asian Cup again in Qatar.

Majed's Early Life
Majed's Club Career
Majed's International Career
Firsts in Majed's Life
Lasts in Majed's Life
Majed's Honours and Awards
- Player Achievements
Majed's Retirement Match
Match details
See also

Majed's Early Life

Majed was born in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. He was the second son of Ahmed Abdullah. His father was a football manager, and they lived near a sports club. This made Majed very interested in football from a young age.

In the mid-1960s, Majed and his family moved to Riyadh. His father got a job managing the youth team for Al-Nassr. Majed went to Al-Jazaeria Elementary School and loved watching older kids play football. A few years later, he joined his school team and a neighborhood team. He used to play as a goalkeeper.

One day, his team's main striker was not there, so Majed had to play in his place. This change worked out great! Majed helped his team win 3–1. Later, Majed and his friends formed a team called "Al-Ittifaq." They were too young to join a tournament at first. But they challenged one of Riyadh's best neighborhood teams and won 3–1, with Majed scoring two goals. After that, Al-Ittifaq joined the tournament and won the championship!

Majed's Club Career

Because of his talent, Majed was recommended to Al-Nassr club. He officially joined Al-Nassr on November 10, 1975.

Majed played for the youth teams for two years before joining the main senior team. He played his first friendly match in January 1977. His first official game was on January 20, 1977, when he came on as a substitute for Al-Nassr against Al-Shabab.

On March 18, 1977, Majed started his first game and scored his first goal for Al-Nassr against Al-Wehda. When the main striker got injured, Majed got more chances to play. He scored three goals in the last three league games that season. He also scored twice in the 1977 King Cup. In his first season, Majed scored nine goals in ten games.

Majed continued to score many goals for Al-Nassr. He scored his first hat-trick (three goals in one game) in March 1978. He ended the 1977–78 season with 14 goals in 19 games.

Majed Abdullah was the top scorer in the Saudi League six times during his career. He also helped Al-Nassr win the League four times and the King Cup four times. Majed is the all-time top scorer in the Saudi League with 189 goals. He is also Al-Nassr's all-time top scorer with 260 goals. Majed Abdullah announced he was retiring on April 12, 1998. This was after Al-Nassr won the 1998 Asian Cup Winner's Cup in front of 70,000 fans in Riyadh.

Majed's International Career

Majed played his first game for the senior national team in 1978 in a friendly match against a famous Portuguese team, Benfica. He scored two goals in that game! His first official game for Saudi Arabia was against China on December 10, 1978.

Majed played for the Saudi national team in many important tournaments. These included two Asian Cups, five Arabian Gulf Cups, the 1984 Olympic Games, and the 1994 FIFA World Cup. He stopped playing for the national team shortly after the 1994 World Cup.

Firsts in Majed's Life

From the Left Majed Abdullah, Tawfiq Al-Muqrin and Abdullah Abed Rabbo in Iraq 1978.

First training camp with Al-Nassr was in London in 1976.
First training camp with the National Team (under 17) was also in London in 1977.
First coach with Al-Nassr was Ljubiša Broćić.
First coach with the National Team (under 17) was Jeff Faundon.
First shirt number with Al-Nassr was 14.
First shirt number with the National Team was 17.
First match with Al-Nassr was against Al-Fath from Morocco in a friendly on January 15, 1977.
First official match with Al-Nassr was against Al-Shabab on January 22, 1977.
First goal with Al-Nassr was against Al-Wehda on March 18, 1977.
First international goal was against Iran under 17 on August 15, 1977.
First goal with the Saudi Senior Team was in a friendly against Benfica in January 1978.
First official goal with the Saudi Senior Team was against Kenya in January 1978.
First official goal in a global tournament with the Saudi Senior Team was against Brazil in the Olympic Games in Los Angeles 1984.
First "League Top Scorer" Trophy was in the 1978–1979 season.

Lasts in Majed's Life

Last local match was against Al-Hilal in the 1996–1997 season.
Last local goal was against Al-Ittifaq in January 1997.
Last local trophy was the Saudi Premier League in the 1994–1995 season.
Last International match was against Belgium during the 1994 FIFA World Cup on June 29, 1994.
Last International goal was against Kuwait during 1994 FIFA World Cup qualifications.
Last goal in a global tournament with the Saudi Senior Team was against Brazil in the Golden Cup Confederations in Australia 1988.
Last goal with Al-Nassr was against Kopetdag of Turkmenistan on April 11, 1998.
Last match with Al-Nassr was against Suwon Samsung Bluewings in the Asian Cup Winners Cup final on April 13, 1998.
Last "League Top Scorer" Trophy was in the 1988–1989 season.

Majed's Honours and Awards

Abdullah lifting the AFC Asian Cup trophy in 1984

Player Achievements

With Al-Nassr Club

Saudi Premier League: 1979–80, 1980–81, 1988–89, 1994–95
King's Cup: 1981, 1986, 1987, 1990
GCC Club Championship: 1996, 1997
Asian Cup Winners' Cup: 1997–98

With Saudi Arabia National Team

AFC Asian Cup: 1984, 1988
Asian Games silver medal: 1986
Arab Nations Cup runner-up: 1992

Individual Awards

Saudi Premier League top scorer: 1978–79, 1979–80, 1980–81, 1982–83, 1985–86, 1988–89
King's Cup top scorer: 1979, 1987, 1989, 1990
Arabian Golden Boot: 1981, 1989
Arabian Gulf Cup top scorer: 1982
Asia-Oceania Soccer Handbook Player of the Year: 1984
Pan Arab Games top scorer: 1985
Asian All Stars: 1985
AFC Asian Cup Team of the Tournament: 1988
Saudi Crown Prince Cup top scorer: 1991
GCC Club Cup top scorer: 1991, 1996
MasterCard Asian/Oceanian Team of the 20th Century: 1998
IFFHS Asia's Player of the 20th Century third place: 1999
IFFHS World's Player of the 20th Century 64th place: 2000
IFFHS Asian Men's Team of the 20th Century: 2021
IFFHS Asian Men's Team of All Time: 2021

Majed's Retirement Match

Majed Abdullah in 2012

On May 20, 2008, ten years after Majed Abdullah's last game, a special "testimonial match" was held for him. This is a game played to honor a player's career. Al-Nassr played against Real Madrid, a very famous team from Spain. Real Madrid had just won their 31st league title.

The match took place at Al-Nassr's home stadium, the King Fahd International Stadium in Riyadh. An amazing 70,000 fans came to watch! Al-Nassr won the game 4–1. Some players from other clubs also joined Al-Nassr for this special match, like Mohamed Al-Deayea, Malek Mouath, and Nashat Akram.

Arjen Robben from Real Madrid scored first in the 50th minute. But then, Al-Nassr quickly scored with goals from Mouath and Akram. Saud Kariri added a third goal, and Mouath scored again in the final moments, making the score 4–1.

Match details

20 May 2008 (2008-05-20) 21:15 AST	Al-Nassr	4–1	Real Madrid	King Fahd International Stadium, Riyadh Attendance: 70,000 Referee: Mutraf Al-Qahtani
	Malek 54, 90+1' Akram 55' Kariri 61'	https://www.goal.com/en/news/12/spanish-football/2008/05/21/704581/al-nasr-thrash-real-madrid-in-friendly	Robben 50'