Serial troublemaker Ali Al-Bulayhi shoves Son Heung-min and grabs his hair as South Korea beat Saudi Arabia in the Asian Cup... after confrontations with Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo
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Saudi Arabia's Ali Al-Bulayhi was up to his old mischievous tricks in his nation's match against South Korea at the Asian Cup - and Son Heung-min was his latest target.
Al-Bulayhi pushed Son in the chest while he wasn't looking and held his hand on the forward's head during their last 16 clash, which South Korea won on penalties after a 1-1 draw.
It follows other provocative encounters Lionel Messi at the World Cup in 2022 and Cristiano Ronaldo in the Saudi Pro League in December.
The serial taunter, 34, didn't face any consequences for trying to unsettle Son but he didn't get the better of the Spurs frontman, who simply laughed.
And it was Son who would come away from the day with a broader grin after Cho Gue-sung's 99th minute equaliser led to South Korea winning 4-2 on penalties.
![Ali Al-Bulayhi had the audacity to shove Son Heung-Min - admittedly lightly - at the Asian Cup](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/01/31/15/80686299-13028989-image-a-27_1706716691604.jpg)
Ali Al-Bulayhi had the audacity to shove Son Heung-Min - admittedly lightly - at the Asian Cup
![He then proceeded to grab the forward's hair for a few seconds in a provocative episode](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/01/31/15/80686297-13028989-He_then_proceeded_to_grab_the_forward_s_hair_for_a_few_seconds_i-a-29_1706716763431.jpg)
He then proceeded to grab the forward's hair for a few seconds in a provocative episode
Saudi boss Roberto Mancini could not bear to watch his side lose and exited down the tunnel before Hwang Hee-chan converted the decisive penalty.
Al-Bulayhi, a four-time Saudi Pro League winner, might not be the biggest name in world football, but he has fronted up to some of the best the game has ever seen.
At the Qatar World Cup, the defender told Messi 40 minutes from time that 'you will not win'. Quite the prophecy, because Saudi Arabia went on to win 2-1 against eventual champions Argentina in one of the grandest shocks in World Cup history.
Messi opened the scoring but Saleh Al-Shehri equalised, and when Salem Al-Dawsari gave his side a surprise lead five minutes later, Al-Bulayhi had a confident message for the opposition captain.
After the 53rd-minute goal, instead of celebrating with his team-mates, Al-Bulayhi raced over to a surprised Messi, slapping him heartily on the back to get his attention.
As he admitted after the match, he then said 'You will not win, you will not win!' - a gutsy thing to say with 35 minutes plus a lengthy period of added time left to play, though his cheeky prediction was later proved correct.
Messi looked stunned as Al-Bulayhi grabbed his own shirt to symbolise his pride in his country, before half-smiling as he turned away.
![Son looked amused at Al-Bulayhi's attempts to taunt him and had the last laugh as South Korea went on to knock Saudi Arabia out of the Asian Cup](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/01/31/16/80687425-13028989-image-a-30_1706716847264.jpg)
Son looked amused at Al-Bulayhi's attempts to taunt him and had the last laugh as South Korea went on to knock Saudi Arabia out of the Asian Cup
![Al-Bulayhi made headlines at the Qatar World Cup when he told Lionel Messi that Argentina would lose against Saudi Arabia ... which they did](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/01/31/16/64826929-13028989-Saudi_Arabia_star_Ali_Al_Bulayhi_s_confident_message_to_Lionel_M-a-33_1706717037053.jpg)
Al-Bulayhi made headlines at the Qatar World Cup when he told Lionel Messi that Argentina would lose against Saudi Arabia ... which they did
![The Al-Hilal defender also clashed with Al-Nassr star Cristiano Ronaldo in December last year](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/01/31/16/78497985-13028989-Al_Nassr_star_Cristiano_Ronaldo_clashed_with_to_Ali_Al_Bulayhi_o-a-32_1706716955796.jpg)
The Al-Hilal defender also clashed with Al-Nassr star Cristiano Ronaldo in December last year
Argentina stars Papu Gomez and Lautaro Martinez then, seeing the altercation, raced over to push the 33-year-old Al-Hilal centre back away from their team-mate.
In December last year, he took things a step further when he clashed against Cristiano Ronaldo in a league match.
Al-Bulayhi was filmed having a heated confrontation with the former Manchester United star, leaning in and saying things in his ear.
Ronaldo had unimpressed with what he deemed to be playacting from Al-Bulayhi and pretended that he couldn't hear as his opponent raged at him.
Former Liverpool and Bayern Munich winger Sadio Mane, one of Ronaldo's Al-Nassr team-mates, was also seen sarcastically clapping Al-Bulayhi.
Al-Bulayhi was later sent off in the closing stages of the game after receiving two yellow cards.
![Roberto Mancini could not bare to watch South Korea's winning penalty against Saudi Arabia](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/01/31/16/80650551-13028989-Mancini_could_not_bare_to_watch_South_Korea_s_winning_penalty_ag-a-31_1706716922382.jpg)
Roberto Mancini could not bare to watch South Korea's winning penalty against Saudi Arabia
However, Ronaldo was left hugely frustrated as Al-Nassr suffered a 3-0 defeat away to their title rivals, Al-Hilal, who Al-Bulayhi plays for.
If Al-Hilal's form is anything to go off, the defender will be able to kepe his prickly pride for some time - they sit top of the Saudi Pro League with a seven-point advantage.