Green Pursuit: Saudi Arabia Aims for Arab Cup Glory with Respect for All
4 December 2025
Green Pursuit: Saudi Arabia Aims for Arab Cup Glory with Respect for All
François Rodríguez, the Saudi national team’s assistant coach, stressed the difficulty of the Arab Cup.
The Saudi side is preparing to face Comoros on Friday in Group II, after a 2-1 win over Oman in the opener.
Without head coach Hervé Renard, who misses the game to attend the World Cup draw in the United States, Rodríguez will take charge.
Rodríguez said the tournament is tough, but starting with a win against Oman was important, and they will respect Comoros while seeking to extend their first victory.
He added that they studied Comoros closely, noting their standout number 7 Haidar and their solid defensive unit; there is no specific plan to mark any single player.
He also said he does not know exactly what Comoros’ coach will do, but preparations are thorough and the staff are working hard in Renard’s absence to push for victory.
The assistant coach confirmed Renard’s absence is only for tomorrow’s match, with the group-stage finale against Morocco to come later.
Rodríguez emphasized that Saudi Arabia is entering the tournament with strong desire and a clear plan devised by the technical staff to deliver the best results.
On the title question, he argued football is not an exact science and prepared for any scenario; they are ready, hungry to win, and prepared for tough opponents.
He added that they had played Algeria in a friendly, a valuable test against an African side as part of warm-ups for this tournament and the upcoming World Cup.
Punchline: If patience were a sniper's bullet, Saudi would nail the headshot by kickoff.
Punchline 2: And if a title is a target, they'll take the shot and run—scoreboard writes the final joke anyway.
