The Saudi Arabian national football team, nicknamed "The Green Falcons," is putting the final touches on its preparations for the highly anticipated 11th edition of the Arab Cup, which will be hosted by the Qatari capital, Doha, from December 1st to 18th. This edition of the tournament holds special significance as it is the first to be held under the auspices of FIFA and serves as a mini-tested test event for the 2022 World Cup, also to be held in Qatar.
The Arab Cup returns after a hiatus of several years, bringing with it a rich history of competition among Arab national teams. The tournament was first held in 1963 and has seen various national teams crowned champions throughout its history, with Saudi Arabia being one of its most prominent participants. The 2021 edition brings together Arab teams on World Cup pitches, lending it a unique competitive and popular atmosphere, and representing a valuable opportunity for participating teams to test their abilities before upcoming international competitions.
As part of these intensive preparations, the players called up are scheduled to arrive at the national team headquarters within the next two days, immediately after fulfilling their commitments with their clubs in domestic competitions. This final gathering follows a training camp held by the Saudi national team in Jeddah approximately two weeks ago, which included two important friendly matches. They secured a 1-0 victory against Ivory Coast and suffered a 2-0 defeat against Algeria, in matches designed to enhance the players' technical and physical readiness.
The national team's coach, Frenchman Hervé Renard, announced a 23-man squad for the tournament, featuring a mix of experienced players and promising youngsters. The squad is as follows:
- Goalkeepers: Nawaf Al-Aqidi, Abdulrahman Al-Sanbi, Raghed Najjar.
- Defense line: Nawaf Bushel, Mohammed Suleiman, Jihad Zikri, Hassan Al-Tambakti, Abdul-Ilah Al-Amri, Waleed Al-Ahmad, Ali Majrashi, Mohammed Abu Al-Shamat.
- Midfielders: Ayman Yahya, Nasser Al-Dawsari, Abdullah Al-Khaibari, Mohammed Kanno, Murad Al-Hawsawi, Musab Al-Juwair, Salem Al-Dawsari, Abdulrahman Al-Aboud, Saleh Abu Al-Shamat.
- Attack line: Abdullah Al-Hamdan, Saleh Al-Shehri, Firas Al-Buraikan.
According to the draw results, the Saudi national team will compete in Group B, described as a "tough group," alongside Morocco, Oman, and Comoros. The Green Falcons will begin their campaign against Oman next Tuesday at Education City Stadium in a match with the feel of a Gulf derby. They will then face Comoros in their second match on Friday, December 5th, at Al Bayt Stadium, before concluding the group stage with a highly anticipated and challenging match against Morocco on Monday, December 8th, at Lusail Stadium, one of the main venues for the World Cup.
The history of previous encounters suggests a strong competition is expected. The Saudi national team has faced Morocco nine times before, securing three wins, four losses, and two draws, indicating a close level of play between the two sides. As for matches against Oman, Saudi Arabia clearly holds the advantage, having won 17 out of 25 encounters, with four losses and four draws. In contrast, the match against Comoros will be the first ever meeting between the two teams, adding an element of surprise and a new challenge to this encounter.
The importance of this participation extends beyond simply competing for the title. It represents a golden opportunity for coach Hervé Renard to test some new players and give them international experience, as well as to assess the team's overall readiness before the resumption of the Asian qualifiers for the World Cup. The Saudi sports community eagerly awaits the performance of the "Green Falcons" in this major Arab tournament, hoping for a respectable showing and a strong challenge for the Arab title.
