Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
World Cup legend Sami Al Jaber has called on Saudi Arabia’s players to show their mental strength when they take on Russia in the opening game of the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia on Thursday.
Juan Antonio Pizzi’s side will make history at the Luzhniki Stadium as they become the first Asian side to feature in the tournament’s curtain raiser before the three-time Asian champions take on Egypt and Uruguay in their remaining Group A games.
Al Jaber, who played in four World Cups for his country from 1994 to 2006, is confident Pizzi’s players are physically prepared having been impressed with the team’s performance in a 2-1 loss at the hands of defending champions Germany on Friday.
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Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Kuala Lumpur: Saudi Arabia are back at the FIFA World Cup for a fifth time, after a 12-year absence. The-AFC.com called on the opinion of a Saudi Arabian expert to run the rule over the Green Falcons' chances.
In four attempts since their historic 1994 debut where they reached the Round of 16, Saudi Arabia have not been able to navigate the group stage, and with their last appearance going all the way back to 2006, the Green Falcons will be hoping to show a different side to them in Russia 2018.
Part of our Expert View series, we look at how Juan Antonio Pizzi's men will line up at the World Cup, their chances, key players and predictions.
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Kuala Lumpur: Saudi Arabia will be the first Asian nation to play in a FIFA World Cup opening match when they face Russia on June 14 and, despite the absence of star player Nawaf Al Abed, there is plenty of quality in the side.
A turbulent nine-month spell since they secured FIFA World Cup qualification in September saw Saudi Arabia part ways with Dutch coach Bert van Marwijk, appoint former UAE boss Edgardo Bauza, only to dismiss him only two month later and bring Juan Antonio Pizzi.
Pizzi has since gone on to establish a new tactical identity for the team; one that emphasises the value of pressing high up the pitch and retaining possession for extended period. Whether the six months period since he effectively took over is enough for the players to fully adapt to his ways is arguably the biggest question for the Green Falcons ahead of the FIFA World Cup.
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Kuala Lumpur: Playmaker Nawaf Al Abed missed out as head coach Juan Antonio Pizzi named Saudi Arabia's final squad for the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia.
Argentine Pizzi named the 23-man squad shortly after Saudi Arabia fell to a 3-0 defeat to Peru in a friendly in St. Gallen, Switzerland on Sunday and Al Abed missing out wasn't a big surprise as the Al Hilal player was coming off a season blighted by injuries.
Al Abed came on as a substitute against Peru but Pizzi obviously must have felt that taking him to Russia would be risky.
His absence, however, will be a blow as Al Abed scored four goals in Saudi Arabia's qualifying campaign - a haul that helped seal a return to the FIFA World Cup for the first time since the 2016 edition.