Saudi fan’s chance to cheer his ‘home’ team

Saudi national football team fan and the head of the fan association for the prestigious Jeddah-based Saudi club Al-Ahly, Bader Turkistani, poses for a picture on November 9, 2022 in the Saudi Red Sea city of Jeddah. - For the past two decades, Bader Turkistani has travelled to Australia, Russia and beyond to cheer on the Saudi national football team, leading crowds in poetic chants that have made him a social media star. This year's World Cup in neighbouring Qatar, by contrast, has the feel of a home game: Doha is a mere two-hour flight from his base in Jeddah, on the Red Sea coast. (Photo by Amer HILABI / AFP)

JEDDAH: For the past two decades, Bader Turkistani (pic) has criss-crossed the globe to cheer on the Saudi national football team, leading crowds in poetic chants that have made him a social media star.

This year’s World Cup in neighbouring Qatar, by contrast, has the feel of a home game: Doha is a mere two-hour flight from his base in Jeddah, on the Red Sea coast.