The 32-year-old defensive midfielder was recalled to the national team last year for the first time since 2022 and he’d love to prove himself as a “key player” for this summer’s tournament.

He told FourFourTwo magazine: “It was special to be back in the national team.

“Since I left for Saudi Arabia, that has been one of my goals.

2I know I can still make the squad and be a key player, so all I wanted was to get the chance to go there to train, do my job, and show that I’m doing well.

“As for my chances of going to the World Cup this summer, I think I’ve got a chance of making the squad, why not?

“I’ll keep working hard to get that chance.”

The Al-Ittihad player has won 30 caps to date and he is “fine” about not having appeared more for his country because he’s always done his best.

He said: “In the opportunities I’ve had to play, I think I always did well, therefore I’m fine because I’ve always done everything I could to have chances and make the most of them.”

Referring to the 2022 World Cup, when he played just one group game, he said: “Obviously you always expect to play more, that’s how every player feels.

“As a holding midfielder, I always thought, ‘Well, if we’re winning and need someone to hold the game, I’ll come on.’

“But it never happened at that World Cup. The quarter-final with Croatia, when we were knocked out on penalties, might have been when I could have come on.”