Shaquille Pinas: Al Kholood history-maker steering Suriname World Cup wish

Shaquille Pinas: Al Kholood history-maker steering Suriname World Cup wish For Shaquille Pinas, weeks in football might not come any better than what he has - and may be about to - experience. The 28-year-old defender will no doubt still be on cloud nine after helping Al Kholood create history last Wednesday, the Ar Rass club reaching their first King’s Cup final - and knocking out defending champions, and current Roshn Saudi League title-holders , Al Ittihad no less. Twice coming twice from behind - check out Adam Berry’s injury-time equaliser - Al Kholood forced the Jeddah giants to a penalty shootout, where Juan Pablo Cozzani proved the hero.

With a place in the record books on the line, the Argentine goalkeeper saved spot-kicks from Houssem Aouar and Moussa Diaby. Understandably, it sparked wild celebrations among the Al Kholood players, staff and fans. It was a red-letter day for the red half of Ar Rass, but hard to believe as it might be, things might only get better for Pinas in the week ahead.

That’s because the former Hammarby and ADO Den Haag defender is part of the Suriname squad hoping to qualify for the FIFA World Cup for the very first time. While part of mainland South America, the former Dutch colony competes as part of CONCACAF, the confederation for North and Central America, as well as the Caribbean islands. Pinas, like almost all his teammates, was born and raised in the Netherlands.

The fact Pinas and Suriname are even here is astonishing. With a population of little more than 600,000, they would become one of the smallest countries to ever book a spot at football’s showpiece event - and, at 123rd in the world, the lowest-ranked nation since FIFA's standings were introduced. Simply getting to this point, in fact, has been full of the unexpected.