- While at Al-Hilal, Hawsawi was a first-team regular and captained his side to seven titles
- Hawsawi announced his retirement from football after a career that spanned nearly 15 years
Osama Hawsawi is a Saudi footballer and captain of the Saudi national team. A central defender, Hawsawi began his footballing career playing for Al-Wahda club in the Saudi Professional League in 2005.
Recently, Hawsawi announced his retirement from football after a career that spanned nearly 15 years.
In a tweet from his official Twitter account, Hawsawi said: “I recall the beginnings, the love of football and the passion to play it as an amateur and a professional. In that green field, we spared no effort to compete. On the podium, we were rewarded with medals and cups. The most precious gift I reaped, though, was the love of my fans. Today, I announce to everyone my retirement. This end will mark the beginning of a more beautiful future.”
While at Al-Hilal, Hawsawi was a first-team regular and captained his side to seven titles during his four seasons with the club, which includes three league titles in the 2008, 2010 and 2011 seasons and 4 Saudi Crown Prince Cups.
In April 2012, Hawsawi signed a two-year contract with top Belgian side Anderlecht, making him the only member of the Saudi national team to play in Europe at the time. In 2013, he returned to the Saudi Professional League, signing with Jeddah-based club Al-Ahli.
In 2016, after four years with Al-Ahli, Hawsawi would return to Al-Hilal for a transfer fee of $5.5 million. In his first season back with the club, he won the Saudi King’s Cup and the Saudi Professional League title. In his second season with Al-Hilal, he helped the club win a second round of consecutive league titles and reach the finals of the 2017 AFC Champions League.
He was also a member of the Saudi team at the FIFA World Youth Championship.