Salah Zakaria’s rise at Al-Duhail has been steady rather than sudden. Season after season, he has built a reputation as a composed and dependable presence between the posts, even as the conversation around Qatar’s goalkeeping hierarchy has shifted above him.

The emergence of Mahmoud Abunada and the long-standing presence of Meshaal Barsham have meant that Salah’s excellence has often gone unrewarded at international level, leaving him in a familiar role for many national team goalkeepers: performing, waiting, and staying ready.

At club level, however, his importance has been difficult to ignore. Al-Duhail finished in a disappointing fifth spot this season, but they still conceded the fewest goals in the league — a statistic that speaks directly to the structure and security Salah provided behind his backline. In the AFC Champions League Elite, he delivered one of the defining performances of their season, standing firm against Al-Ahli’s attacking force in the Round of 16. Salah was instrumental in extending the tie deep into extra time, where his penalty save from Ivan Toney further underlined his ability to influence the biggest moments, even if the night eventually ended in heartbreak when Riyad Mahrez struck in the 117th minute.