Former Western Mustang Haidar Al-Shaibani earns roster spot with national men's soccer team

LONDON, Ont. - Former Western Mustangs goalkeeper Haidar Al-Shaibani will join the Canadian senior men's soccer team for a pair of friendly matches against Argentina and Venezuela this month.

National team head coach Stephen Hart named Al-Shaibani as one of three goalkeepers for the team.
The games for their South America trip, May 17-29, include Canada's first-ever match against two-time World Cup champions Argentina on May 24. The team will also visit Venezuela on May 29.

Al-Shaibani, 26, is one of a couple of Canadian university-trained players with the team. He's the first Mustangs player to be named to a national team since Jens Kraemer who was on the national team in 1988 but did not play.

Now with France's Nimes Olympique, where he played in six games in 2009-10, Al-Shaibani was originally born in Algeria before moving to London in 1998 where he played for the Mustangs and club team London City before signing professionally overseas in 2008. 

Last year, Al-Shaibani represented Canadian Interuniversity Sport at the Summer Universiade in Belgrade, Serbia. He also represented Canada in 2007 in Bangkok, Thailand, where the team finished a best-ever fourth place.

"Haidar Al-Shaibani is an exceptional goalkeeper whose goal in life was to play professionally in Europe," said Mustangs men's soccer head coach Rock Basacco, who coached Al-Shaibani at Western. "He has tremendous technical and tactical skills and his international experiences have made him a great choice for selection to the Canadian national team." 

"Haidar's abilities, work ethic and drive for excellence have opened the doors for opportunities at the top level," Basacco said. "The Western soccer program is very proud of his accomplishments and wish him the best as he joins the national team for friendlies against Argentina and Venezuela."

Both Canada friendlies can be watched on Rogers Sportsnet.

According to Canada Soccer, 11 players will travel to both venues on the South American tour. In that group, goalkeeper Al-Shaibani, centre back Adam Straith and midfielder Pedro Pacheco all received their first call-up to the national team. 

For more information on the national teams, visit www.canadasoccer.com, or view the full rosters for the trip by clicking here.