Dusty Dreams, Sacred Streets
Before the roaring fans in King Abdullah Sports City.
Before the televised saves and clean sheets.
Before he became the "Wall of Jeddah".
He was just Rayan from Medina. A boy with oversized gloves, dusty shoes, and a fire in his heart.
The story of Rayan Edrees isn’t about being born a star.
It’s about becoming one.
Step by step. Save by save. Fall by fall.
This is a journey built not on luck — but on grit.
Chapter 1: A Childhood in the Shadows of the Prophet’s City
Medina is known for its peace, its history, its spirituality. But in its alleyways, behind whitewashed mosques and echoing azans, lies a different rhythm — the rhythm of football.
Rayan Edrees grew up in a working-class neighborhood where the ball was everything and the street was the pitch. His father was a security guard at the Prophet’s Mosque. His mother was a schoolteacher. They didn’t have much, but they gave Rayan what mattered most: belief.
His earliest memory? Using his school backpack as a goalpost and diving into gravel to stop shots from older kids.
He didn’t play striker like the rest. “I loved being the underdog,” he said. “The one who ruined everyone’s celebration.”
It was during one scorching summer that an unexpected injury changed his life. While standing in for a missing goalkeeper during a local youth match, Rayan made a save that dislocated his finger — but kept playing.
The crowd erupted.
The coach called him crazy.
He smiled.
That day, he found his calling.
Chapter 2: The Test of Trials – Getting into Al-Ahli
At 14, Rayan heard that Al-Ahli was hosting regional scouting trials in Riyadh. It was a long shot — hundreds of kids, a handful of slots.
But his father sold his old pickup to afford the trip.
Rayan didn’t have the best cleats. He didn’t speak much. But when he got into goal, everything stopped.
He wasn’t the tallest. He wasn’t the strongest.
But he was the most alert. The most vocal. The most… hungry.
One scout wrote in his notes:
“Raw instincts. Terrifying focus. The kid has steel nerves.”
He was selected.
Not as a starter — but as a backup for the U-16 team.
That was enough.
Chapter 3: The Grind – Academy Life and the Making of a Machine
Rayan’s first year in Al-Ahli’s academy was brutal.
He rode the bench for most matches. His coach criticized everything — his footwork, his positioning, even his attitude. “I wanted to quit,” Rayan once admitted. “I felt invisible.”
But quitting wasn’t in his blood.
He started arriving two hours before training. Stayed an hour after. Watched old matches of Buffon, De Gea, and the legendary Al-Deayea.
He even practiced footwork drills in his bedroom — pillows as cones, mirror as a coach.
By his second year, he’d earned the respect of teammates and caught the attention of the senior coaching staff. “He started bossing the box like a veteran,” said his academy coach.
His breakthrough came during a U-18 league final, where he made three penalty saves and lifted the trophy.
It was the first time the crowd chanted his name.
Chapter 4: Baptism by Fire – Debut for the First Team
In 2023, Al-Ahli faced a crisis.
Their starting keeper suffered a season-ending injury before a massive derby against Al-Ittihad. Rayan, just 21, was called up. The match was sold out. Millions watching.
And everyone said the same thing:
“The kid’s not ready.”
But Rayan… was born ready.
He delivered a masterclass performance:
9 saves
1 penalty stop
0 goals conceded
Even the opposing coach admitted: “He broke us.”
That night, Al-Ahli fans created a new chant:
"Edrees El-Gidar — La Yinzil, La Yankasar!"
("Edrees the Wall — He doesn’t fall, he doesn’t break!")
Chapter 5: The Rise of a Thinking Keeper
What made Rayan different wasn’t just performance — it was presence.
He started working with a personal mental coach, studied tactical positioning like a midfielder, and even enrolled in a remote psychology course. His room became a lab of whiteboards, VR simulators, and match replays.
By mid-season, he was:
Calling defensive plays
Predicting striker movement
Starting counterattacks with precise throws
Legendary keeper Mohammed Al-Deayea said:
“He plays like he’s seen the future.”
Chapter 6: Winning Over the Nation
By 2024, Rayan wasn’t just a club hero. He got his first call-up to the Saudi national team.
In a friendly against Egypt, he pulled off a double save that made international headlines.
Within weeks, European scouts started appearing at Al-Ahli’s games. Sevilla. PSV. Even Bundesliga clubs were asking:
“Who is this mental monster?”
His response?
“Let them watch. I’m not done yet.”
Chapter 7: The Injury, the Comeback
Every hero's journey needs a fall.
In early 2025, during a league match, Rayan collided mid-air with a striker and landed awkwardly on his shoulder. The result: grade 2 AC joint separation — 8 weeks out.
It was his first major setback. And it hit hard.
But Rayan didn’t moan. He rebuilt himself mentally, journaling every day of recovery, attending every training session in uniform, and even coaching the U-18s from the bench.
His comeback match?
A clean sheet.
Of course.
Chapter 8: What Comes Next?
Rayan Edrees is 24. He’s already a starter, a leader, and a national team regular.
But what’s next?
Rumors of a move to Europe grow stronger. He’s reportedly learning Spanish and German, preparing for the leap.
But deep inside, he says his heart will always belong to Al-Ahli. “They gave me a chance when I was no one,” he said.
Whether he stays or leaves, one thing is clear:
Rayan Edrees didn’t just rise.
He climbed.
And in the process, he gave every kid in Medina — and every keeper in Saudi Arabia — a reason to believe.