Saudi Arabia’s victory over Argentina at the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ remains one of the most memorable upsets in the tournament’s history. The win ultimately wasn’t enough to secure progression to the knockout stage, but showed the potential of the team to go toe-to-toe with the best in the world.
Saud Abdulhamid was one of the players to impress in that famous match, and the right-back has continued to catch the eye for both club and country. This season, the 26-year-old has been playing for Lens on loan from Roma, where he has contributed three goals and eight assists in 29 appearances in all competitions.
Now, with the FIFA World Cup 2026™ approaching, Saudi Arabia, under new coach Georgios Donis, are aiming to build on that result and reach the knockouts for the first time since USA 1994.
The Asian heavyweights will face two former world champions, Uruguay and Spain, before concluding their Group H campaign against Cabo Verde in Houston.
Speaking to FIFA, Abdulhamid reflected on the unforgettable victory over Argentina, his experience in Europe and Saudi Arabia’s ambitions for the upcoming tournament.
Saud Abdulhamid: The feeling is indescribable. They were a very strong team that would go on to win the World Cup, so it’s an incredibly odd feeling when you beat a team as big as Argentina. It’s something huge, and we were incredibly happy at that time, so it’s impossible for anyone to forget that moment.
The situation was a bit complex because during the first half, Argentina had a couple of goals ruled out for offside, which the coach was not happy about.
He told us to put our hearts into the game, and to play the way we always play. They have Messi, the best player in the world, so we had to give our all to win against them. That encouraged us in a way that I can’t describe. But thanks to God, we were able to win.
It is an indescribable feeling. When Salem scored to make it 2-1, it felt like the whole world was supporting us. The fans were all on their feet – you couldn’t see anyone sitting down – it was crazy.
We were running around with happiness. We didn’t know where we were going, we were so happy. It was a very good feeling and I hope we can repeat it at this World Cup.
He [Al Dawsari] brings a lot. He helps us a lot, and we help him too. He has the ability to create attacking solutions and motivate the team.
Honestly, a lot has changed because the Saudi Pro League has evolved with the arrival of more foreign players. I also took the step of moving abroad, so I’m trying to apply everything I’ve learned. Even though I still don’t have that much experience, I’m trying to teach those around me. Maybe they can learn something good from me, or I can help them in some way. Players help each other, and it’s also good that foreign players contribute within their clubs. That’s very positive for us.
I have learned a lot – especially discipline, commitment and time management. That includes routines, recovery and professionalism, as well as focus on the pitch. There, one mistake can create a huge problem, so you have to stay focused for the full 90 minutes. Probably the biggest things I have learned are discipline and focus.
Our ambition is to go as far as possible. We hope to prepare well before the World Cup and achieve the objective we’ve set ourselves, which is to get through the group stage. We’ll compete in a very difficult group, but we want to go as far as we can, and hopefully we can reach the knockout stage.
I think our determination, team spirit and the confidence the coach and fans have in us are what define this team.
