Saudi Arabia
Coach: Georgios Donis
Starting XI Prediction
Star Players
All Players →Fixtures
Group H
Group H
| # | Team | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Spain | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | +5 | 7 |
| 2 |  Cape Verde | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 3 |
| 3 |  Uruguay | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 4 | -1 | 2 |
| 4 | Saudi Arabia | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 5 | -4 | 2 |
Full Squad Players List
| # | Player | Pos | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Goalkeepers | |||
| 1 | Nawaf Al Aqidi Al Nassr FC | GK | |
| 21 | Mohammed Al OwaisXI Al Ula Saudi FC | GK | |
| 22 | Ahmed Al Kassar Al Qadsiah FC | GK | |
| Defenders | |||
| 2 | Ali MajrashiXI Al Ahli FC | DEF | |
| 3 | Ali Lajami Al Hilal SC | DEF | |
| 4 | Abdulelah Al AmriXI Al Nassr FC | DEF | |
| 5 | Hassan TambaktiXI Al Hilal SC | DEF | |
| 12 | Saud AbdulhamidXI RC Lens | DEF | |
| 13 | Nawaf Boushal Al Nassr FC | DEF | |
| 14 | Hassan Kadesh Al Ittihad | DEF | |
| 24 | Moteb Al Harbi Al Hilal SC | DEF | |
| 25 | Jehad Thikri Al Qadsiah FC | DEF | |
| 26 | Mohammed Abu Al Shamat Al Qadsiah FC | DEF | |
| Midfielders | |||
| 6 | Nasser Al DawsariXI Al Hilal SC | MID | |
| 7 | Musab Al Juwayr Al Qadsiah FC | MID | |
| 15 | Abdullah Al KhaibariXI Al Nassr FC | MID | |
| 16 | Ziyad Al Johani Al Ahli FC | MID | |
| 18 | Alaa Al Hajji Neom SC | MID | |
| 23 | Mohammed KannoXI Al Hilal SC | MID | |
| Forwards | |||
| 8 | Ayman Yahya Al Nassr FC | FWD | |
| 9 | Firas Al BuraikanXI Al Ahli FC | FWD | |
| 10 | Salem Al DawsariXI Al Hilal SC | FWD | |
| 11 | Saleh Al ShehriXI Al Ittihad | FWD | |
| 17 | Khalid Al Ghannam Al Ettifaq FC | FWD | |
| 19 | Abdullah Al Hamdan Al Nassr FC | FWD | |
| 20 | Sultan Al-Ghannam Al Hilal SC | FWD | |
World Cup History
—
Titles
6
Appearances
14
WC Goals
3
Wins
Best finish: Round of 16 (1994)
Top scorer: Sami Al-Jaber (4 goals)
Most capped: Mohamed Al-Deayea (12 matches)
Record: 3W – 2D – 13L
Saudi Arabia's finest World Cup hour came in their debut appearance at USA 1994 — advancing to the Round of 16 and producing Saeed Al-Owairan's famous solo goal against Belgium. Their 2022 comeback win over Argentina — the eventual champions — was arguably the greatest upset of the entire tournament. The Green Falcons continue to represent Middle Eastern football with pride.
Tournament Eras
The 1994 Debut — Round of 16
1994Saudi Arabia made a sensational World Cup debut in USA 1994 — beating Morocco, drawing with Sweden, and advancing to the Round of 16. Saeed Al-Owairan scored perhaps the tournament's goal of the tournament against Belgium, dribbling from his own half past four defenders to score. They lost to Sweden in the Round of 16 but the debut exceeded every expectation.
The Regular Participant — 1998 to 2018
1998–2018Saudi Arabia qualified for four more World Cups but never recaptured the 1994 magic, losing all three group games in 1998, 2002, and 2018. The nation's football development continued but the gap to top European and South American nations remained significant.
The Argentina Earthquake — 2022
2022Saudi Arabia produced the greatest upset of the 2022 World Cup — beating Argentina 2-1 from a goal down, with Saleh Al-Shehri and Salem Al-Dawsari scoring. Argentina, led by Messi and among the favourites to win the tournament (which they ultimately did), were stunned. Saudi celebrations could be heard across the Gulf.
Iconic Moments
Al-Owairan's Solo Wonder Goal — 1994
Saeed Al-Owairan received the ball in his own half against Belgium and dribbled past four defenders over 70 metres before slotting home — one of the greatest goals in World Cup history. It was compared to Maradona's 1986 goal of the century and became the defining image of Saudi football for 30 years.
Beating Argentina — The 2022 Shock
With Messi having put Argentina ahead and Saudi Arabia's first three shots ruled offside, nobody expected what followed. Saleh Al-Shehri equalised, then Salem Al-Dawsari scored one of the goals of the tournament — a driven, turning strike into the top corner. The result became instantly viral; a national holiday was declared in Saudi Arabia.