Saudi’s Green Shield in Question: Renard’s Two-Game Gauntlet for a 2026 World Cup Bid

French coach Hervé Renard, who leads the Saudi national team, faces an unforgiving two-legged test in the AFC Asian Playoff for a place at the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

Renard isn't just a coach; he carries the ambitions of more than 35 million Saudis eager to see the Green on football's biggest stage.

Two decisive fixtures

The Saudi squad is set to meet Indonesia and Iraq in a bid to reach the finals in 2026, with Renard hoping to translate training into a performance that minimizes errors while maximizing chances.

Despite optimism rooted in historical matchups, concerns linger about recent displays and a few stubborn weaknesses in both defense and attack.

Defensive fragility and the quest for balance

Renard has had to rely on domestic players after injuries and scheduling forced him to omit some stars, including Al Hilal regulars during the Gold Cup due to the club's World Cup commitments.

That put a genuine test on his ability to find suitable replacements to shore up the backline and keep the door shut at critical moments.

Abdullah Maddo, Abdullah Al-Amri, and Hassan Kadish were called up as veterans, but Kadish's injury added to the challenge of fielding a reliable defensive unit.

Defensive depth has remained a recurring issue, evident in recent campaigns and in the struggles to deal with quick transitions and high pressing from opponents.

With the exception of one stalwart display against Japan in Tokyo that ended 0-0 thanks to solid defense, other outings have revealed gaps and miscommunications at the back.

Ali Al-Bulaihi has faced criticism for coverage lapses, though he has been rotated in and out of Renard's plans as fitness and form dictate.

Among the alternatives are Hasan Timbakti, Saad Al Mousa, Mohammed Suleiman, and Jihad Dakri, who offer more solidity and flexibility across the backline.

These players could give Saudi the balance needed to counter Indonesia's pace and the front-foot pressure they bring, while Iraq relies on physicality and aerial advantages that require extra attention from the center-backs.

Attacking balance and the hunt for goals

If Renard can tighten the defense, the attack must be sharper and more consistent, not merely relying on individual moments.

The squad lists nine forwards: Marwan Al-Sahafi, Salem Al-Dosari, Mohannad Al-Saad, Abdulrahman Al-Aboud, Saleh Abu Al-Shamat, Ayman Yahya, Abdullah Al-Hamdan, Saleh Al-Shehri, and Firas Al-Buraikan.

But quantity alone is not enough; the team needs greater offensive cohesion and a more productive link between the midfield and the final third.

Overall, the absence of a traditional striker for years—names such as Sami Al-Jaber, Yasser Al-Qahtani, Nasser Al-Shamrani, or Mohammed Sulaimani—left a void Renard is trying to fill with Saleh Al-Shehri and Firas Al-Buraikan, hoping they can deliver when given chances.

Renard’s leadership and the road ahead

Beyond tactical tweaks, Renard’s ability to unify the squad and to push the players to compete with the top nations remains his strongest asset, as shown by a famous halftime speech that galvanized the team against Argentina at the 2022 World Cup.

Renard’s influence has left a lasting imprint on the Saudis’ approach, marked by discipline, courage, and a willingness to confront the giants with steady resolve.

Despite some criticisms, he stands among the most successful coaches to guide Saudi Arabia in recent years, lifting the players’ mental resilience and raising public expectations around what the team can achieve on the world stage.

And if the Green can pull off a positive result in these two legs, the football world might just learn that perseverance, and a few clever lineup shuffles, can outsmart even the sharpest counterpunches.

Punchline: Renard's defense is so porous that even a drizzle could score on it.

Punchline: If this attack finally finds its spark, the scoreboard might announce a miracle—Saudi scoring in a World Cup playoff, and even the weather predicting a goal with perfect timing.