In a proactive move reflecting the high level of seriousness in preparing for upcoming international competitions, the assistant coaching staff of the Saudi national football team, led by Italian coach Roberto Mancini, held an important meeting on Wednesday with Al-Hilal players who are candidates to join the national team. This meeting, held at the headquarters of the Saudi Arabian Football Federation, is part of an early and intensive preparation program for the final Asian qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be held in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
General context and historical background
This meeting is part of a series of deliberate moves by the Saudi Arabian Football Federation to ensure the national team reaches peak readiness. These efforts follow the impressive performance at the 2022 Qatar World Cup, which saw a historic victory over eventual champions Argentina. The new coaching staff, led by the experienced European manager Roberto Mancini, aims to build on that experience and establish a team capable of competing strongly on the international stage. Al-Hilal, the Saudi and Asian league champions, is a key source of players for the national team, with its players forming the backbone of the squad. This makes direct coordination with them crucial for unifying the team's technical and tactical vision.
Details and objectives of the meeting
The meeting emphasized the importance of the current phase and the need for players to focus fully on all technical and physical aspects. Approved nutritional and health programs were discussed, along with a thorough review of each player's individual physical indicators and statistics. Through this close monitoring, the coaching staff aims to raise the level of individual and collective readiness and ensure players adhere to the highest professional standards, both with their clubs and when joining national team camps. The meeting also addressed coordination mechanisms for the upcoming period to enhance direct communication between the coaching staff and players, within a comprehensive framework designed to unify efforts and achieve the highest level of integration between the national team and the clubs.
Importance and expected impact
Domestically, these meetings reinforce the partnership between the national team and the clubs, emphasizing that the national team's interests are a national priority. Regionally, this early and organized preparation sends a strong message to Asian rivals that the Saudi national team enters the qualifiers with high ambitions. Internationally, this comprehensive plan aims to develop a generation of players capable of performing admirably at the 2026 World Cup and achieving results commensurate with the significant development of Saudi football and the substantial investments in the Roshan Professional League. Similar meetings are scheduled for the coming period with players from other clubs such as Al-Shabab, Al-Riyadh, Al-Fateh, Al-Hazm, and Al-Kholoud, confirming the plan's comprehensiveness and the coaching staff's desire to closely monitor all potential players.
