Time Crunch for Saudi Stars Could Cost the Green a World Cup Dream

Countdown to the Asian Playoff

Just days before the Asian playoff to determine Saudi Arabia’s route to the 2026 World Cup, the Green are deep in training ahead of their opening clash with Indonesia on Wednesday in the Group B fixture set in Jeddah. The national team comes into the playoffs with high hopes of adding another World Cup appearance to a storied history that includes a 1994 Round of 16 run in the United States.

Saudi Arabia will contest the playoff amid ambitions to stretch their World Cup journey beyond the six appearances logged previously, including the 2022 edition in Qatar. The campaign marks the latest test of a long tradition of Asian competition, where eight teams qualify for the World Cup and a ninth enters the intercontinental playoff path if needed.

Format, Schedule, and the Road Ahead

The Green are drawn alongside Iraq and Indonesia in a tight group that will determine direct qualification or a stepping stone to the global playoff. The group winner secures direct advancement to the World Cup finals, while the runner-up battles the top team from Group A’s second place for a chance to reach the global playoff. Saudi Arabia’s next test comes against Indonesia on Wednesday, then a date with Iraq on October 14 could prove decisive for the race to 2026 in North America and beyond.

Renard’s side is chasing a seventh World Cup appearance, following their most recent showing in 2022. The broader context remains crucial: Asia will deliver eight direct qualifiers, with a ninth team entering the global playoff mix.

Squad, Minutes, and the Challenge of Domestic Form

Renard named a 28-player squad, with Nawaf Al-Aqidi, Abdulrahman Al-Saibi, Mohammed Al-Yami and Ragid Al-Najjar among the goalkeepers. In defense, Muteb Al-Harbi, Jihad Dhikri, Mohammed Suleiman, Saad Al-Mousa, Hassan Tambakti, Ali Majrashi, Saud Abdulhamid and Abdulilah Al-Omari were listed, while the midfield features Nasser Al-Dosari, Ali Al-Hassan, Musab Al-Juair, Ziyad Al-Juhani, Mohammed Kano, Abdullah Al-Kheibri and Nawaf Boshil. For the attack, Salem Al-Dosari, Abdulrahman Al-Aboud, Ayman Yahya, Abdullah Al-Hamdan, Saleh Al-Shamat, Marwan Alsahafi, and Saleh Al-Shehri were named, among others.

One striking aspect is the limited participation of domestic players. Only three of the 28 squad members have completed all four league games this season, underscoring the heavy reliance on foreign talents in the Saudi league and raising concerns about match sharpness and competitive edge for Renard’s plans.

The trio seen as the core pillars, according to Transfermarkt, are Salem Al-Dosari (Al Hilal), Hassan Tambakti (Al Hilal), and Saad Al-Mousa (Al Ittihad), each registering full 360 minutes across the first four rounds. Al-Dosari contributed two or more goals in the early fixtures, while Tambakti and Al-Mousa offered robust defensive presence for their clubs, signaling readiness for high-stakes situations with the national team.

In goal, the situation is more fragile: Nawaf Al-Aqidi played only one full match (90 minutes) for Al-Nasr before an injury sidelined him. Ragid Al-Najjar logged two matches (180 minutes), while Abdulrahman Al-Saibi and Mohammed Yami have yet to feature in official fixtures, leaving Renard weighing his options between foreign experience and local form as the clock ticks toward kickoff.

Defensively, minutes are spread unevenly: Hassan Tambakti and Saad Al-Mousa stand out with robust totals, while Ali Majrashi (Al-Ahli) has logged 301 minutes, Jihad Dhikri 111, Muteb Harbi 107, and Mohammed Suleiman 96. Saud Abdulhamid (Lance) has appeared in five matches for 75 minutes and Abdulrahman Al-Omari only 11 minutes, highlighting a potential risk in defensive depth as the World Cup push intensifies.

In midfield, Musab Al-Juair leads with 316 minutes, followed by Nasser Al-Dosari (285) and Nawaf Boshil (225); Mohammed Kano has only 76 minutes, while Ali Al-Hassan has barely featured (13). In attack, Salem Al-Dosari sits at 360 minutes, with Marwan Alsahafi (Alsahafi) on 338, Ayman Yahya (317), and Faris Al-Bariqan (211). Others trail behind, including Saleh Al-Shamat and Abdulrahman Al-Aboud with around 109 minutes, while Mohannad Al-Saad and Abdullah Al-Hamdan have had limited exposure (38 and 8 minutes respectively).

In short, the numbers reveal a squad with uneven physical preparation as the decisive phase approaches. Renard now faces a critical test: can he maximize the squad’s differential strengths and navigate a route to the 2026 World Cup despite a real-time minutes gap among domestic players?

Punchlines flash after the numbers: Sniper punchline 1: The minutes are so scarce on the bench that even the substitutes are using the starting pistol as a coffee break. Sniper punchline 2: If time flies, Saudi’s midfield seems to be chasing it with a broom—sweeping hours away while the calendar keeps counting down.