World Cup Story Feed / 世界杯事情流
World Cup Story Feed / 世界杯事情流
Saudi Arabia's final match in the 2026 World Cup is against Cape Verde. An island nation with a population of half a million, comparable to a county in China. They are playing in the World Cup for the first time.
Saudi Arabia's final match in the 2026 World Cup was against Cape Verde. An island nation of half a million people, comparable to a county in China. It was their first World Cup ever.
90 minutes, 0-0. Expected goals: 0.39 to 1.39. Shots: 7 to 15. Cape Verde secured second place in the group with this draw, advancing to the round of 32 for the first time in history, where they would face Argentina. Saudi Arabia didn't even manage a single goal, serving purely as a backdrop for a fairy tale.
Two days later, FA President Yasser Al-Misehal released a statement on X. "I take full responsibility and apologize to everyone who wished to see our team in a better position." He announced his resignation, stating: "Out of a sense of responsibility, I have decided to make way for a new phase and not complete my term."
He was in power for seven years. Securing the hosting rights for the 2034 World Cup was his greatest achievement, officially confirmed by FIFA on December 11, 2024. Now he vacates the chair, leaving behind a mountain of unresolved debts.
During the 2023 summer transfer window, they spent $957 million on players, with Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar, and Karim Benzema arriving in droves. Over three years, total spending is estimated by various sources to range from $2 billion to $6 billion. The money created the second-largest transfer window globally, yet the national team only managed one goal in three matches, conceded five, and finished bottom with two points.
On June 15 in Miami against Uruguay, possession was 27%, shots 7 to 28. In the 41st minute, Abdulrahman Al-Amri poked in a goal following a Muslera error. Saudi fans barely had time to raise their beers before Maxi Araujo equalized with his left foot in the 80th minute. Expected goals: 0.66 to 1.72. Even a fluke goal wasn't enough to hold on.
Six days later in Atlanta against Spain, they lost 0-4. Lamine Yamal scored the opening goal of the World Cup in the 10th minute. Spain had 21 shots in the first 65 minutes, the second-highest tally for the same period since 1966. Possession was 67% to 33%, shots 22 to 3, shots on target 8 to 1. This wasn't football; it was Spain using Saudi Arabia for shooting practice.
The only memorable moment from the three matches was Al-Amri's goal against Uruguay. The rest of the time, Saudi Arabia looked like sparring partners brought in just to fill the numbers.
The seeds of disaster were sown in April. On April 17, the Saudi FA fired Hervé Renard. The same French coach who, in 2022 in Qatar, had ground Argentina into the dirt and won 2-1. Six days later, Georgios Donis was appointed. Greek, 56 years old, contract until July 2027. He had previously coached club sides in the Saudi League for five years but had never managed at a World Cup.
With less than two months until the World Cup.
What can you do in two months? Learn faces, figure out who the starting goalkeeper is, run through set-piece routines three times. Forge a national team into a cohesive unit? Dream on. Two draws and one heavy defeat – the cost of changing coaches was written all over the standings.
This was Saudi Arabia's third consecutive group stage exit at the World Cup. 2018 in Moscow, 2022 in Qatar, 2026 in the USA, Canada, and Mexico. The last time they advanced from the group was 1994, with Saeed Al-Owairan's legendary solo run against Belgium still their most iconic football moment. Thirty-two years, seven World Cups, and never again.
Al-Misehal is gone. The chair is empty, but the problems on the table remain unchanged. The 2027 Asian Cup will be hosted by Saudi Arabia, and fans want the first title since 1996. The 2034 World Cup, the hosts qualify automatically. Eight years to transform Saudi Arabia into a team worthy of its hosting status. Misehal has vacated the chair. The hole is still there, and it's bottomless.
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