SANTA CLARA, California, June 14 (Reuters) - Qatar's resilience against Switzerland owed much to goalkeeper Mahmoud Abunada, whose key saves kept them in the game, a remarkable comeback for a player once close to retirement due to a serious back injury.
The 26-year-old, who made his international debut last year, made six saves as Qatar grabbed a dramatic 1-1 late equaliser against Switzerland to earn their first-ever World Cup point.
The achievement was described by Abunada, who was named Man of the
Match, as "the most beautiful moment of my career".
Fighting back tears as he received his award, he said "I dedicate this moment to my mother and to my family."
Coach Julen Lopetegui's decision to start Abunada raised eyebrows, given his limited experience and the presence of Meshaal Barsham, a key player in Qatar's 2023 Asian Cup win.
Abunada, who is of Palestinian descent, exceeded expectations in his seventh international appearance, despite the pressure of playing on the world stage against a team that had reached the round of 16 in four of their last five appearances at the tournament.
"He has a strong presence on the pitch and an impressive ability to challenge himself," Younes Ali, who coached him at his former club Al Arabi, told Reuters.
That resilience was clear against Switzerland, as the goalkeeper bounced back from an early error in the 14th minute, when he conceded a penalty against Remo Freuler that Breel Embolo converted, to produce a string of key saves, most notably a brilliant close-range stop to deny Ruben Vargas.
RETIREMENT SHADOW
After being promoted to Al Arabi's first team, Abunada was called up to the Qatar national team in 2020, but struggled to secure a regular starting spot.
Just as he was beginning to establish himself, he suffered a serious back injury that sidelined him for the entire 2023–24 league season, after a second surgery in Munich, Germany.
His fortunes did not improve the following season, with just nine league appearances for Al Arabi, amid reports he had contemplated retirement due to his ongoing injury struggles.
However, he rebounded by joining Al Rayyan for a fresh start, featuring in 20 of 22 league matches and finishing the 2025–26 season as the best goalkeeper.
Abunada's determination paid off, as he became Qatar's first-choice goalkeeper at the World Cup, making his major tournament debut against Switzerland.
"After undergoing two back surgeries, he showed great determination to become the starting goalkeeper, and he succeeded in achieving his dream," Ali said.
(Reporting by Mohamed Yossry in Cairo, editing by Christian Radnedge)
