Renard’s Hidden Thread: 5 Key Differences in Saudi Arabia’s World Cup Qualifying for 2022 vs 2026

Shared Thread: Renard’s Role Across Two Campaigns

Saudi Arabia booked its ticket to the 2026 FIFA World Cup after a goalless draw with Iraq, underscoring a continued rise among football’s elite. The team topped its Asia playoff group, beating out Iraq and Indonesia on the path to a tournament hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The constant thread through both World Cup campaigns has been Hervé Renard, the French coach who has helped the Saudis reach two World Cup finals, but the journeys have diverged in meaningful ways.

In 2022, Renard was already steering the ship as qualification began, guiding the team through the early and decisive stages of the Asian qualifiers. In the current cycle, the opening moves were different: the campaign started under Italian coach Roberto Mancini, who led the team in the initial phase before Renard’s return, reshaping the squad as the qualifiers evolved. This shift is the core of the five differences explored below.

Qualification Journey: A Different Path to the World Cup

Looking at the marathon of qualification, 2022’s Saudis enjoyed one of the quickest routes to a World Cup in history, even before the final two matches. They topped Group 4 in the opening phase and later triumphed in the second group, finishing ahead of China, Japan, Oman, Vietnam, and Australia. By contrast, the 2026 road required a playoff in Asia after finishing third in their initial group with 13 points, trailing Japan and Australia, forcing a more arduous route via the playoff system. The current campaign also featured a broader mix of results—three wins, four draws, and three defeats—before sealing the playoff victory against Iraq and Indonesia.

New Stars, Renewed Ambitions

The Renard era brought a broader, younger core to the national side while still leveraging experienced leaders. The squad for the playoff stage included four players over 30 (Salah Al-Dawsari at 34, Saleh Al-Shehri at 32, Mohammed Kuna at 31, and Abdulrahman Al-Aboud at 30) alongside a larger group in their mid-20s. New talents like Saleh Abu Al-Shamat of Al-Ahli and Musab Al-Juwair began to shine in the setup, with others from Neuchâtel and Antwerp catching the eye as well. This blend signaled a deliberate shift toward a fresh generation feeding into the team’s World Cup ambitions, while the veterans offered continuity and leadership.

The domestic league—the Saudi Pro League—also underwent a notable evolution. The arrival of global stars such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Sadio Mané, Neymar, Darwin Núñez, Riyad Mahrez, and Karim Benzema injected high-level competition into every match. That influx elevated the standard of domestic players, sharpened training environments, and provided the national team with players who were more physically and technically ready to compete on the world stage. This leap in quality strengthened the conditioning and tactical diversity of the Saudi squad as it prepared for 2026.

In short, the 2026 qualification cycle benefited from Renard’s continuity, Mancini’s earlier groundwork, a new generation of Saudis stepping forward, and a domestic league suddenly around the world’s radar. The combination created a sharper, more confident national team ready to translate domestic success into global results.

Aspirations and the Objective

Saudi Arabia approached World Cup Qatar with measured expectations, but the shock victory over Argentina shifted public sentiment and raised ambitions for the new cycle under Renard. The expectation now is to transition from a proud performance to advancing beyond the group stage by playing with consistency and a tactical edge that can translate into knockout-round success. With Renard at the helm again, the national team carries both history and a brighter horizon, aiming not just to participate but to make a meaningful run in a tournament shared by the three host nations of North America.

Quality Leap: The League as a Springboard

The Saudi Pro League’s evolution has been striking. The marquee signings and the presence of global stars have pushed domestic players to function at higher levels, both individually and collectively. This environment has helped Saudi players grow physically and technically, raising the level of the national team in the process. The increased exposure and tougher competition within the league are expected to translate into more robust performances on the world stage as the team looks to stage a stronger World Cup showing in 2026.

As the qualifiers progressed, Renard’s approach appeared to harmonize the best of the old guard with the vigor of a younger cohort, creating a balanced team that can mix experience with fresh energy on the international stage. The road to 2026 may have started differently, but the destination remains a World Cup where the Saudi side hopes to compete with the world’s best and, who knows, write a few more headlines of their own.

And now for the punchlines, because even world football needs a light moment: If football were a sniper rifle, Renard would be the guy who hits bullseyes with the safety on. And if the trophy had a passport, Saudi would apparently have it stamped with a big, confident “Renard Approved.”

Second punchline, in the spirit of keeping it sharp: They say pressure makes diamonds; in Saudi’s case, it makes world-class squads—and a few fans who finally learned to cheer for a foam finger with more than one color and a lot more patience.