DUBAI: Saudi Arabia has appeared in the World Cup tournament six times, equaling Morocco and Tunisia for an Arab record. Here are some of our favorite Green Falcons moments from football’s greatest stage.
5. Saudi Arabia defeats Egypt, ending winning streak (Russia, 2018)
Saudi Arabia returned to the World Cup for the first time in 12 years at the 2018 World Cup in Russia, and although they did not advance from the group stage like they did at the 1994 USA tournament, which was the Green Falcons’ debut, it was their first World Cup in 24 years. He achieved victory. Previously.
Saudi Arabia suffered a crushing 5-0 defeat against the host nation on the first day of the tournament, followed by a narrow 0-1 loss against Uruguay. That meant pride was still very much at risk, although their final Group A game against fellow Arab qualifiers Egypt was a disastrous defeat.
After a great season with Liverpool, Mohamed Salah gave Egypt a 1-0 lead, but Salman Al Faraj equalized with a penalty just before the end of first-half stoppage time.
As the clock ticked past 90 minutes, it looked like both teams would go home without a win, but Salem Al-Dawsari scored in the 95th minute to make it 2-1 and extend the Green Falcon’s World Cup winning streak to 15. I stopped it in the match. .
4. Sami Al Jaber’s Almost Perfect Send-off (Germany, 2006)
It was almost the ideal ending for perhaps the greatest soccer player in Saudi Arabia’s history.
The 2006 World Cup in Germany may not have been remembered as fondly by Saudi fans, but it was certainly an early moment that hinted at a repeat of the team’s 1994 heroics. .
In the Green Falcons’ opening game against Tunisia at the Allianz Arena in Munich, the North African side took the lead with Ziad Jaziri’s goal in just the 23rd minute, but the Saudis took the lead in the 57th minute with Yasser Al Qahtani’s goal. He fought back with a great finish.
Enter Al Jaber. Wearing his favorite green No. 9 shirt, he came on as a substitute after 82 minutes and quickly overpowered Tunisian goalkeeper Ali Boumnigel to score. Al Jaber did not disappoint, scoring Saudi Arabia’s second goal before being mopped up by excited teammates.
Unfortunately for Marcos Paqueta’s side, Tunisia equalized in the closing stages and the Saudis went on to lose their next two games against Ukraine and Spain.
But at least Al Jaber’s fourth and final World Cup ended the same way it started, with a goal for his beloved Saudi Arabia.
3. Al-Ghesheyan stunner gives Saudi Arabia a fleeting dream (US, 1994)
Saudi Arabia had already made history by making it out of the group stage at the 1994 World Cup in the United States, and their reward was a round-of-16 clash with Sweden, who would eventually become one of the teams in the tournament.
In the stifling heat of the Cotton Bowl in Dallas, the Green Falcons, fresh off a stunning win over Belgium in their previous game, put in a brave performance, but early on Martin Darling’s header and Kennett Anderson With six goals, they lost by two goals. A few minutes after the break.
Just when it looked like the exhausted team were minutes away from returning home, substitute Fahad Al Gesheyan came on to breathe life into Saudi Arabia’s World Cup campaign and give fans dreams once again.
The 21-year-old collected the ball inside Sweden’s penalty area and smashed it into the roof of the net with his right foot five minutes into the game, suddenly giving Saudi Arabia hope for a stunning comeback.
But just two minutes later, Andersson scored his second goal, giving Sweden a 3-1 victory and eliminating the Falcons from the tournament. They became the first Arab nation to reach the last 16 on their first attempt, but no team from the region will advance further until 2022.
2. Al Owairan scores one of the biggest goals of the World Cup (USA 1994)
Diego Maradona’s iconic solo goal against England in 1986, Roberto Baggio’s goal that launched his international career against Czechoslovakia in 1990, and Saeed Al-Baggio’s goal against Belgium in 1994. Add in Owyran’s remarkable winning goal.
Saudi Arabia’s first appearance at the World Cup was a 2-1 loss to reigning European champions Netherlands at RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C., but in the second Group F game, the Giants had an impressive 2-1 victory over Morocco. New York stadium.
In other words, advancing to the last 16 will depend on the result against Belgium, and the Green Falcons will continue to record their best-ever performance in RFK.
Just five minutes into the match, Al-Oweiran received the ball inside his own half and began a stunning run that ripped through Belgian defenders, finishing past stranded goalkeeper Michel Plouhomme.
The stunned Belgians could not answer that goal for the next 85 minutes. Saudi Arabia are aiming to reach the last 16 of their first World Cup and Al Owailan has made his mark alongside World Cup greats.
1. Saudi Arabia scores biggest victory over Argentina led by Messi (Qatar 2022)
There is little debate as to Saudi Arabia’s best moment of the World Cup.
When they faced Lionel Messi and Argentina at the Lusail Stadium on November 22, 2022, few would have expected Hervé Renard’s team to win.
And sure enough, it was the Argentine maestro who gave the South American team the lead in the 10th minute from the penalty spot. However, the expected procession of Argentines did not materialize. Instead, the Falcons gradually grew into the game through lackluster defense and smart counterattacks.
The second half will be a revelation. First Saleh Al-Shehri scored the equalizer just after the break, and just five minutes later Salem Dosari scored one of the greatest goals of the tournament, sending the stadium and Saudi and Arab fans around the world into a frenzy.
Messi and his colleagues would go on to win the World Cup, but on that day they had no answer for Saudi Arabia’s tiger-like performance.
Although the Falcons did not advance from the group stage, the 2-1 scoreline gave them their most famous victory, ultimately ending the tournament as the sole conquerors of the world champions.
