Prime Highlights :
- Tawfiq said her biggest dream is to help lead Saudi Arabia to its first FIFA Women’s World Cup.
- She said family support helped her continue playing even before clear pathways existed for women’s football in Saudi Arabia.
Key Facts :
- Tawfiq is a professional footballer who began her career playing alongside boys before joining Al-Ittihad.
- She won the Best Player Award in 2022 and is currently recovering from surgery undergone last month.
Background :
Saudi footballer Seba Tawfiq has spoken about her journey in women’s football and her ambition to help lead Saudi Arabia to its first FIFA Women’s World Cup, reflecting on a career that has mirrored the rapid growth of the women’s game in the Kingdom.
Tawfiq said her interest in football began in childhood, when she joined a group of boys playing at school and later started training with Al-Ittihad. Growing up between Saudi Arabia and Canada, she said, helped her adapt quickly to new environments and strengthened her social and competitive skills.
She said her family remained a constant source of support, even during years when a clear pathway for women’s football in Saudi Arabia did not yet exist. Tawfiq is currently recovering from surgery undergone last month, describing the process as mentally challenging but valuable for building resilience.
Among her career highlights, she mentioned winning the Best Player Award in 2022, and also switching from indoor to outdoor football which , she said, widened her understanding of the game. She also noted the swift progress of women’s football in Saudi Arabia, pointing to the growing presence of international players and coaches raising competition levels.
Tawfiq said today’s young players have access to development pathways that did not exist during her own childhood. Outside football, she said she enjoys travel, fashion and spending time with her cat, and was recently named Style Icon of the Year. She said her biggest ambition remains representing Saudi Arabia at a World Cup and inspiring the next generation of players.
