Green Falcons vs Atlas Lions: A History Lesson Meets Morocco’s Moment in the Arab Cup
26 November 2025
Morocco Bets on the Present
Fans across the Arab world are eagerly awaiting the upcoming Saudi Arabia vs. Morocco showdown, a marquee Group Stage match in the Arab Cup taking place in Qatar from December 1 to 18. The clash promises edge-of-seat drama, given the teams’ storied regional and international histories and the current pulse of both programs.
Saudi Arabia holds a strong head-to-head record against Morocco, having met 11 times across official and friendly games. The Green Falcons own 7 wins to Morocco’s 3, with one draw in the mix.
The opening chapter of their rivalry dates back to the 1961 Arab Games, when Morocco claimed a spectacular 13-1 victory. The 1976 meeting saw Saudi Arabia win a friendly 4-1, while a second 1976 encounter in the same competition produced a Saudi 2-0 win.
In October 1982, Saudi Arabia won a friendly 2-1, and in August 1984 Morocco responded with a 1-0 victory at the Los Angeles Olympic Games.
The seventh meeting occurred at the 1994 World Cup group stage in the United States, with Saudi Arabia edging a 2-1 win. December 2002 brought another Saudi victory, 2-0, in the Arab Cup/Arab Nations context. April 2005 saw a 1-0 Saudi win in the Islamic Games, followed by another 1-0 win in a May 2005 friendly. The latest 2021 meeting in the Arab Cup ended with a Morocco 1-0 win.
This long arc of history adds confidence and challenge for Saudi Arabia as they approach the upcoming clash, particularly since the match sits in the group stage—an opportunity to reaffirm their historical edge over the Moroccan side.
Morocco’s approach, meanwhile, leans on the present strength: the national team has enjoyed a peak period in recent years, highlighted by a historic 2022 World Cup semi-final run—an unprecedented feat for an Arab and African nation.
Morocco has already qualified for the 2026 World Cup in the USA, Canada, and Mexico, underscoring stability at the technical level and high performance from the squad. Domestically and continentally, the national teams have celebrated major successes in recent years, with the senior side lifting African and youth honors that point to a bright pipeline of talent.
In short, Morocco’s trajectory makes them a formidable rival, capable of delivering at the highest level and posing a real challenge in the Saudi showdown and beyond.
Saudi Arabia’s Arab Cup Squad
Renowned French coach Hervé Renard has named a 23-man squad for the Arab Cup 2025. Here is the lineup by position:
Goalkeepers: Nawaf Al-Aqidi, Raghid Najar, Abdulrahman Al-Sanabi.
Defenders: Abdulrahman Al-Amri, Walid Al-Ahmad, Nawaf Boshl, Mohammed Suleiman, Jihad Dhakri, Hassan Tembakti, Ali Mujrshi.
Midfielders: Murad Al-Housawi, Mohammed Abu Al-Shamatan, Musab Al-Juweir, Mohammed Kano, Abdullah Al-Khibray, Ayman Yahya, Nasser Al-Dosari.
Forwards: Salem Al-Dosari, Abdulrahman Al-Aboud, Abdullah Al-Hamdan, Saleh Al-Shehri, Feras Al-Breikan, Saleh Abu Al-Shamat.
In a strategic move, Renard has left out six players: Saud Abdul Hamid, Sultan Mandish, Metab Al-Harbi, Mohammed Al-Rubaei, Ziad Al-Jahni, and Marwan Al-Sahafi.
Green in the Group Stages
The Arab Cup draw places Saudi Arabia in Group B alongside Morocco, Oman, and Comoros. The Green Falcons kick off against Oman on December 2, face Comoros on December 5, and close their group slate against Morocco on December 8.
Hosting duties fall to Qatar, using six world-class stadiums that welcomed the 2022 World Cup: Al Wakrah/Al Bayt, Lusail, Al Janoub, Education City, Khalifa International, and 974. Sixteen teams contest the title, with nine auto-qualified by FIFA rankings and 14 other nations battling for the remaining spots in late November qualifiers in Doha.
With these historical and contemporary facts in play, the Saudi–Morocco clash stands out as one of the tournament’s premier Group Stage showdowns. Expect a tense, highly competitive affair as each side leans on past experiences or on a rising generation to push for victory.
Punchline one: If this game were a sniper, the target would be the defense’s silence—and somehow both sides miss the quiet moment and still score. Punchline two: In football, history writes the script, but tonight’s jokes are on the sidelines, where the commentators claim the snacks are the real MVPs.
