Saudi national team striker Saleh Al-Shehri confirmed the Green Falcons' complete readiness for their upcoming match against Comoros in the second round of the group stage of the 2025 Arab Cup. Al-Shehri's remarks came during a press conference held on Thursday, where he emphasized the importance of securing three points to guarantee early qualification for the next round, reflecting the players' strong desire to compete for the title.
Facing different football schools
Al-Shehri pointed to the competitive nature of matches between different football schools, saying: “Matches between Asian and African teams are always characterized by competitiveness, excitement and physical strength. Our goal is to secure qualification through this match, which may give the coaching staff an opportunity to rest some key players in the third round, so that we are at our full physical and mental strength for the decisive knockout stages.”.
The influence of Dory Roshan and international stars
In a related context, the international striker discussed the significant growth of the Saudi League (the Roshan League) and the impact of the presence of world-class players on local players. Al-Shehri explained that this presence has two sides: a positive one, which is raising the quality of training and matches through daily interaction with the world's best players, and a negative one, which may involve a reduction in playing time for some. He added, however, that there are Saudi players who are proving themselves as starters and delivering impressive performances.
Al-Shehri, who plays alongside Frenchman Karim Benzema at Al-Ittihad, added: "We are in contact with the best players in the world, and personally, I am in contact daily with one of the best strikers in the history of football, Karim Benzema. This positively impacts our technical and mental development. As for missing opportunities, it is part of the game of football, and we as players always strive to serve the national team and take advantage of every opportunity to score and make the Saudi fans happy.".
Group accounts and the path to victory
Regarding the upcoming opponent, Al-Shehri concluded his remarks with great respect for the competitor: "The Comoros national team is a very respectable team and has good players. The match will not be easy, but we have prepared well for it, and God willing, we will achieve victory and qualification.".
It is worth noting that the Saudi national team enters the match with three valuable points after their well-deserved 2-1 victory over Oman in the opening round, while the Comoros national team seeks to recover from their heavy 3-1 defeat against Morocco. The Arab Cup represents an important opportunity for the Saudi team to reaffirm its regional leadership and capitalize on the tremendous development in the Kingdom's infrastructure and sports facilities in recent years. All eyes are on the Saudi team as one of the top contenders for the title, given the significant support the sports sector receives.
