RIYADH: When Aleksandar Trajkovski returns to Saudi Arabia at the end of this week, he is going to have quite a story to tell his Al-Feiha teammates.
The forward was last in action when the mid-table Saudi Pro League team lost to Al-Nassr on March 17, before heading to Europe to report for international duty with North Macedonia.
It is safe to say that when Trajkovski left the country for the first World Cup playoff on March 24 against Italy, most of his clubmates were expecting him to be back at Al-Feiha fairly quickly. Instead the 29-year-old is preparing to take on Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal team with a place at Qatar 2022 awaiting the winner.
It’s a big ask of the heroic Macedonians, but whatever the outcome the player has already made history and has been the talk of the footballing world.
It was his goal for North Macedonia that knocked Italy out of World Cup qualification on Thursday in Palermo and set up the crucial game with Portugal in Porto. It was a low shot from outside the area in the 92nd minute that condemned the European champions to a second successive absence from the World Cup.
Even in Saudi Arabia, there has not been much said about the exploits of the player from Al-Feiha, who arrived in January. The team itself have progressed quietly through the season without really looking like they were going to be relegated or challenge for the top spots.
Defensively solidity does not make many headlines. At the back, the team have been outstanding and despite sitting in eighth, have the best defensive record in the league with just 19 goals conceded. The problem has been at the opposite end with the same number of goals scored. Only Al-Hazm in last place have found the target on fewer occasions. The North Macedonian, playing under Serbian coach Vuk Rasovic, has yet to make an impact at his new club with just two starts so far. That may be about to change.
Trajkovski has had quite a career already. The former Chelsea trialist spent time in Croatia and Belgium before signing for Italian team Palermo in 2015. Trajkovski became a favorite in southern Italy spending four seasons at the club, two in Serie A and two in Serie B, embracing the city before he returned there for his country last week.
After a spell in Spain for Real Mallorca he arrived in the Saudi Arabian city of Al-Majma’ah. He may only now be seen as a big international name, but back home the Skopje native is a star. That strike last week was his 20th on the international stage. Only Goran Pandev has scored more for the country.
The job is only half done. Now North Macedonia are focusing on doing something similar against Portugal. The odds of lightning striking twice are long but then this is a team that won in Germany last year and finished above Romania to take second place in their group. They have nothing to lose. They have already been successful.
“I am overjoyed with the victory and I expect a great welcome on my return to North Macedonia,” said captain Stefan Ristovski. “Can we beat Portugal? Yes, we will win. We will do everything to win and we will do it.”
Such heroics show that, with some clever scouting, Saudi clubs are doing a decent job of bringing in all kinds of foreign players. It does not have to be all about Brazilians or Argentines; there is talent in the smaller nations too.
Whatever happens, Trajkovski is going to come back to Saudi Arabia in high spirits and with a soaring reputation. In terms of league position, there is not much for Al-Feiha to fight for. There is no chance of a top-three finish and while the gap above the relegation zone is only five points, they have a game in hand over several of the clubs below them. There is still a chance for glory however. On April 4, Al-Feiha meet Al-Ittihad in the semifinal of the King’s Cup.
Al-Ittihad are top of the league and in great form. The Tigers will be strong favorites but it is not hard to guess what Trajkovski will be telling his clubmates. If North Macedonia can dump the mighty Italy out of the World Cup then there is no reason why Al-Feiha can’t shock Al-Ittihad and take a place in the final against either Al-Hilal or Al-Shabab.
There will now be more people outside the country watching to see whether the new star of European football can replicate his international success with his new club. If so, Al-Feiha fans are in with a chance of celebrating a first major piece of silverware.