Saudi Arabian legend Sami Al-Jaber has been speaking on the FIFA Podcast
He discusses playing at the nation's debut finals and featuring in four tournaments
Listen to more on the FIFA Podcast
These days, are regulars. The Green Falcons have played at seven of the previous nine tournaments, the same number as Croatia and one more than four-time champions Italy.
But that hasn't always been the case. Saudi Arabia had never qualified for the tournament before USA 1994, meaning the nation's budding footballers, including Sami Al-Jaber, could only picture what a finals berth would look like.
"I was dreaming [of playing at the tournament]," he told Mikael Silvestre on The FIFA Podcast. "I remember I was watching the 1986 World Cup in Mexico. I saw all the details, like Brazil, the French team, [Michel] Platini at that time. I saw so many, and when the games finished, I grabbed the ball and I went outside and I commentated on myself, like, “I'm playing for Saudi Arabia in the national team. This is here, Mexico City.” It was a dream. The dream has grown up with me."
Just shy of eight years later and Al-Jaber was a driving force behind getting Saudi Arabia to their maiden tournament, netting in a thrilling 4-3 qualifying win over IR Iran to seal their place. Very few, though, gave the Green Falcons a chance at the showpiece.
"We knew that the Netherlands were in our group, and there was (Ruud) Gullit, then (Marc) Overmars, you know the squad: top players who played in Europe. A golden generation," he said. "The second-best team at that time was Belgium, [who] had Enzo Scifo and all them. The last is Morocco, [who] at that time had maybe 90 per cent of that generation playing in the French league.
"Before we left for the World Cup, we’d see people in the street who’d be saying to us, "Please, don't lose 7-0, don't lose 9-0. Please don't lose by many goals, just go there, play with your heart." Nobody expected us to go into this strong group stage and play games like we did."
Saudi Arabia not only survived, by thrived on World Cup soil. Al-Jaber scored in their maiden win over Morocco, before a stunning Saeed Al-Owairan solo goal sunk Belgium to send the newcomers to the last 16. Sweden proved a step too far, but Al-Jaber and Co wrote their name into the nation's sporting folklore and set a standard not yet surpassed at the global finals.
The FIFA Podcast takes fans to the heart of the FIFA World Cup 2026™ with exclusive access, expert analysis and unforgettable stories from across Canada, Mexico and the USA. Hosted by Christian Vieri and Mikaël Silvestre, the show features FIFA legends, current football stars and celebrity guests reflecting on the biggest moments of the tournament. From match reactions and behind-the-scenes insights to unique FIFA World Cup™ memories, each episode offers a fresh perspective on the beautiful game. .
Sources: FIFA Official
