For Saudi Arabia, it was no ordinary day. As their players turned out to face Comoros in the FIFA Arab Cup™ at Al Bayt Stadium in Al Khor, the FIFA World Cup 2026™ draw was grabbing worldwide attention as it unfolded in Washington DC.
And it wasn’t just the fans who had an eye on the United States. Saudi coach Herve Renard had left Qatar to attend the draw in person, having led his team to a second successive FIFA World Cup qualifications, following their appearance at Qatar 2022.
But if Saudi Arabia were missing their coach, it didn’t show. Having clearly laid out every detail before his departure, Renard’s side came ready to get the job done and duly booked their place in the quarter-finals with a 3–1 win over Comoros. Salem Al Dawsari was the star of the show, setting up two goals for the in-form Mohamed Kanno before adding a third himself.
One of Saudi Arabia’s most experienced stars, Saleh Al Shehri, spoke about what fuelled his team’s impressive performance, despite Renard’s absence on the touchline as he noted that the Frenchman had prepared everything down to the smallest detail before leaving.
“We had several calls with coach Renard, and he was with us for the tactical meeting before he went to the United States. He made it clear we needed to win big and make sure we qualified. We’re looking forward to having him back for the next match.”
Al Shehri also acknowledged the difficulty of Saudi Arabia’s World Cup group, which includes European champions Spain, South American heavyweights Uruguay and a strong Cabo Verde side. Even so, as one of the squad’s experienced figures, he preferred to keep the team’s focus on the Arab Cup for now.
“It’s a tough group, but right now our focus is on the Arab Cup. God willing, we’ll turn our attention to the World Cup once this tournament is over.”
Judging by Saudi Arabia’s eye-catching display, the team look ready to compete for the title. Their performance against Comoros showed real determination and neither their coach’s absence nor the World Cup draw proved a distraction.
Instead, the team stayed fully locked-in on the pitch and earned a well deserved win, the mark of a side capable of building momentum with clear purpose and composure.
Al Shehri went on to explain, “We’ve got one group game left. Our aim is to take the tournament step by step until we reach the final.”
A big part of Saudi Arabia’s strong start has been the squad’s full commitment to the coach’s plans and their understanding of what serves the team best. This has been rewarded with two victories and a clear uptick in performance.
Even though Al Shehri is one of Saudi Arabia’s standout players, he had no issue starting on the bench, noting that the coach is best placed to decide what the team needs.
“The coach is the one who chooses the line-up, and every player has a role to play. The important thing is that the team wins. That’s our goal. We’re united as a team and it doesn’t matter who starts and who doesn’t.”
Leading the group with six points, Saudi Arabia now need only a draw against second-placed Morocco on Monday to confirm top spot in Group B, having already secured their qualification with the win against Comoros.
