Hamed Yousef Al-Shanqeeti

BEIJING, March 2: Hamed Yousef Al-Shanqeeti, the goalkeeper for the Saudi national team, was honored as the best goalkeeper at the 2024 AFC U-20 Asian Cup held in China.

Throughout the tournament, Al-Shanqeeti delivered exceptional performances, helping his team reach the final before they narrowly lost to Australia in a penalty shootout (4-5) after a 1-1 draw in both regular and extra time.

According to the official Asian Football Confederation website, Al-Shanqeeti kept three clean sheets in Saudi Arabia's six matches. His standout performances included shutouts in the group-stage match against Jordan, the quarter-final against China, and the semi-final against South Korea.

In the quarter-final clash with China, Al-Shanqeeti made crucial saves, including stopping a penalty kick. He continued his stellar form in the semi-final, saving two penalty kicks against South Korea, further cementing his reputation as a key figure for Saudi Arabia.