Abdulelah Al-Malki opens up about missing out on the national team: I don't know the reason

Abdulelah Al-Malki, the midfielder from Al-Dhariyah, has shocked fans by revealing his surprise at not being called up to the Saudi national team. He confirmed that he does not know whether the exclusion is due to technical reasons or personal ones.

Abdulelah Al-Malki has joined Al-Dhahriah in January 2026 after ending his contract with Al-Hilal, continuing his participation with the team during the current season of the Saudi Pro League.

Abdulelah Al-Malki spoke after Al-Dhariyah's victory over Al-Fateh by two goals to one in the sixth round, confirming that the team performed well and could have capitalized on additional chances.

Abdulelah Al-Malki expressed his surprise at one of the refereeing decisions during the match, which involved the intervention of the Video Assistant Referee, questioning how the law was applied in this incident.

Abdulelah Al-Malki said about his international absence: "I don't know the reason for not joining the national team," explaining that he was waiting for a new opportunity after returning to participate regularly with Al-Dhariyah.

He stated that he accepts exclusion if the decision is technical, but he does not see that his current appearances align with a justification related to unpreparedness or limited appearances with his team.

Al-Dhariyah player Abdulelah Al-Malki indicated that since his transfer to the club during the winter transfer window last season, he has only missed one match, while continuing his training and participation with the team.

He explained that his participation rate this season has reached about 70 or 75% of the matches in the Diriyah, considering that this rate is normal for a Saudi player at this stage.

Abdulelah Al-Malki emphasized that representing the Saudi national team is a fundamental goal for any player, stressing that the absence of this ambition deprives the player of one of the most important motivations to continue in football.

He followed up by stating that he expected to return to the national team after his recent appearances with Al-Dhariyah, especially since he had previously worn the green jersey during his time with Al-Ettifaq.

Abdulelah Al-Malki spoke about his experience with Al-Hilal, explaining that his absence from the national team call-up was understandable due to not participating regularly, despite feeling sad about the absence.

He explained that the situation has changed currently, as he is now getting more playing minutes and fulfilling his role with Al-Dhariyah, which has led him to seek an explanation for his continued absence from international duty.

Al-Dhariyah player Abdulelah Al-Malki concluded his remarks by emphasizing that he does not want to clash with any party, but he wishes to know the real reason behind his non-selection for the Saudi national team.

He stated that if the decision is technical, he respects the vision of the coaching staff and officials; however, if there are personal reasons, he wants to know the truth behind them.