Desert Derby Reboot: Renard Returns to Algeria Test in a High-Stakes Friendly
17 November 2025
Match Preview
The Saudi national team is stepping into a fresh test as they prepare to face Algeria tomorrow evening at the Al-Inma Stadium in Jeddah, part of their build up for the 2025 Arab Cup in Qatar from December 1 to 18.
The Saudi Algeria friendly rekindles an old scoreline for French coach Hervé Renard, who has faced the Desert Foxes three times before. The clash promises a charged atmosphere as Renard aims to prove a point on home soil.
Renard has secured only one win against Algeria and suffered two defeats, giving this encounter a charged, competitive edge.
The upcoming match offers a golden chance for the French coach to write a new chapter against the desert side.
Their clashes began in 2009 when Renard was in charge of Zambia, losing both legs of World Cup qualifiers, the first by two goals and the second by one.
They met again in the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations quarterfinals when Renard was coaching Ivory Coast; they won 3-1, and since then almost a decade has passed without another showdown.
New absence. In Saudi training on Sunday, a new muscle issue sidelined a player ahead of the Algeria friendly.
According to the Saudi daily Al Riyadhiah, Abdullah Hamdan, the striker, missed team training with a muscle problem, while Ziyad Al Jahani trained individually under medical supervision.
The Saudi squad began training with warm ups, ball possession drills, short training games, and finished with set piece practice.
Double blow for Algeria. Amin Amoura and Hicham Boudiaoui were ruled out of the Saudi friendly as confirmed by the Algerian Football Federation to protect their fitness for upcoming fixtures.
Futher updates showed Boudiaoui with muscular pain while Amoura had a mild injury preventing him from taking part in the friendly.
90 minutes to go. The veteran Salem Al Dawsari is on the cusp of joining the century club if he features, bringing him up to 100 international appearances.
According to a Saudi source, Al Dawsari has 99 caps to date and the Algeria match could be number 100 for the Talented Falcon. If he plays, he would become the 18th Saudi to reach the century mark.
The same report notes that Al Dawsari has been involved in 89 starts with the national team, was a substitute in 34 more appearances, and has logged 7958 minutes in international duty. He has 24 goals, including five penalties, and has missed six penalties in his career with the Green Falcons.
New image context aside, the next lines focus on the players and the plan for the camp in preparation for the Arab Cup 2025.
Renard's Message
Renard has sent bold messages to the Saudi squad after the 1-0 win over Ivory Coast, urging players to amplify their technical effort and maximize the current training camp, especially since the team aspires to contend for the Arab Cup title.
He also pressed players not to be stingy with their energy in order to satisfy the fans who want to see top form ahead of World Cup 2025 qualifiers and beyond.
Renard thanked the players for the favorable result against Ivory Coast and stressed his desire to seal the camp with a win against Algeria, wrapping up the preparations in the best possible manner.
He underlined that there is no room for complacency given the tight schedule, injuries, and the need to rely on the current squad for the Arab Cup, due to limited time to explore alternatives.
message delivered, now the players face the test of Algeria with a chance to begin shaping the mood for the rest of the year.
Punchline 1: Renard runs a tight ship, so sharp that even the whistle needs a passport to travel with the team.
Punchline 2: In this desert heat, the only thing hotter than the pitch is the post match press conference, where coaches offer promises and perfect excuses in equal measure.
