Saudi Stars Brace for Iraq Clash: A World Cup Qualifier Soap Opera
11 October 2025
Team news and injuries
A new guest joined the Saudi squad’s hospital list ahead of the Asia playoff against Iraq on Tuesday. The Green Falcons trained on the Enmaa pitch in Jeddah under coach Herve Renard.
Abdullah Al-Hamdan, the forward, suffered a cold and was kept out of the training session.
All players trained on the side pitch at the Enmaa Stadium in Jeddah, under Renard’s watch.
The session began with warm-ups, possession drills, and tactical work, followed by a two-team scrimmage on the full field and finished with stretching.
Al-Hamdan sat on the bench during the 3-2 win over Indonesia.
Exclusion of Al-Aboud
Renard announced the exclusion of Abdul Rahman Al-Aboud due to a jaw injury after latest medical checks.
Al-Aboud, 30, previously played for Al-Ittihad, with 148 appearances, 13 goals and 22 assists in his spell there.
Market values and context
A recent comparison by Al-Yawm showed Saudi Arabia’s value at about €30.6 million, with top names Firas Al-Breikan (€4.5m), Musab Al-Jehani (€4.0m), Saud Abdul Hamid (€3.0m), Hassan Tambakti (€1.6m), Salem Al-Dosri (€1.5m), and Nawaf Bosl (€1.3m).
In contrast, Iraq’s squad was valued at about €22.48m, led by Zidan Iqbal (€4.0m), Montazer Majed (€2.5m), Marco Faraj (€2.2m), Imar Shir (€1.3m), Mohannad Ali (€1.2m), Ibrahim Bayesh (€1.0m) and Bashar Rasn (€0.7m).
Alternative options and lineup
Saudi’s Kanu and Al-Aboud were ruled out, with Renard opting to deploy Ziyad Al-Jehani to fill the gap. He also aims to lean on Abdullah Al-Hamdan as a trump card, should his recovery allow a return to full training on Sunday.
Home ground and optimism
King Abdullah Stadium, nicknamed the Radiant Jewel, has become a source of optimism for the Green Falcons, who are unbeaten there in 15 games (12 wins, 3 draws), scoring 32 and conceding 9.
The 3-2 victory over Indonesia in the opening Asia playoff added to the team’s growing confidence ahead of Tuesday’s Iraq clash. A win would book a direct ticket to the 2026 World Cup finals in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Historical edge
Saudi Arabia holds a historical edge over Iraq in World Cup qualifiers, leading 5 wins and 1 draw in six encounters. The winner on Tuesday advances straight to the 2026 World Cup finals.
Punchline 1: If patience were a weapon, Renard would need a bigger cupboard for all those drilled responses. Punchline 2: Let’s hope the ball travels faster than the coffee at halftime—because fans deserve a blockbuster finish upfront.
