A stunning surprise: Donis not convinced by Salem Al-Dawsari in the Saudi national team!

Salem Al-Dawsari's absence from Saudi Arabia's plans may run deeper than the injury that kept him out of recent matches. New developments have revealed a controversial stance from Greek coach Georgios Donis towards the Al-Hilal captain, one of the brightest stars in Saudi football.

Al-Arabiya report that Al-Dawsari was left out of the preliminary squad sent to clubs before the postponement of the 2027 Asian Cup. The reason had nothing to do with his injury. He simply failed to meet the technical criteria Donis uses to pick his players.

That raises real questions about how much the Greek coach rates the Al-Hilal captain. His absence was not forced by his physical condition. It came down to a technical assessment that left him outside the staff's early selections.

Read also: Between a replay and a withdrawal: a new surprise regarding the Al-Nassr and Al-Wasl match

It is a surprise given Al-Dawsari's standing in the national team. He has been one of its key men for years, playing influential roles across numerous international competitions, and his technical value to Al-Hilal is undeniable.

Donis clearly has a different vision of which players suit his ideas, and that may explain Al-Dawsari's omission despite his international experience and reputation. None of this means the door is shut on a return in future call-ups.

For now, the Al-Hilal captain faces a fresh challenge to win back his place. The developments also beg the question of what criteria Donis actually relies on. Is this absence tied only to the current phase, or does it signal a decline in his standing within the Greek coach's project?