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World Cup 2018: Saudi Arabia team profile


Goalkeepers: Assaf Al-Qarny (Al-Ittihad), Mohammed Al-Owais (Al Ahli), Yasser Al-Musailem (Al Alhi), Abdullah Al-Mayuf (Al Hilal).

 

Defenders: Mansoor Al-Harbi (Al Ahli), Yasser Al-Shahrani (Al Hilal) Mohammed Al-Breik (Al HIlal), Saeed Al-Mowalad (Al Ahli), Motaz Hawsawi (Al Ahli), Osama Hawsaw (Al Hilal), Omar Hawsawi (Al Nassr), Mohammed Jahfali (Al Hilal), Ali Al-Bulaihi (Al Hilal).

Midfielders: Abdullah Al-Khaibari (Al Shabab), Abdulmalek Al-Khaibri (Al Hilal), Abdullah Otayf (Al Hilal), Taiseer Al-Jassim (Al Ahli), Houssain Al-Mogahwi (Al Ahli), Salman Al-Faraj, Nawaf Al-Abed, Mohamed Kanno (all Al Hilal), Hattan Bahebri (Al Shabab), Mohammed Al-Kwikbi (Al Ettifaq), Salem Al-Dawsari (Villarreal, Spain), Yehya Al-Shehri (Leganes, Spain).

Forwards: Fahad Al-Muwallad (Levante, Spain), Mohammad Al-Sahlawi (Al Nassr), Muhannad Assiri (Al Ahli).

Best Player
Striker Mohamed Al-Sahlawi of Al-Nassr. He's a prolific scorer who can put the ball away in a variety of ways. Now, he isn't a world beater by any imagination, but he's a hard-working player who doesn't need much space to make an impact,debut in 2015.

Player to watch
Fahad Al-Muwallad. The young winger had such a promising start to his career that European clubs were interested in him, having joined Levante this year on loan. But he's found chances hard to come by in Spain, so whether he has had enough minutes to be a starter remains to be seen. If he can play, he can do some damage. He's short at 5-foot-6, but he's speedy and does well keeping the ball close to his feet. He may be looked at as a guy to send balls into Al-Sahlawi or work combinations with him on the counter.

History: Four straight appearances at the World Cup between 1994 and 2006. Their best showing was a run to the last 16 in 1994, where they lost 3-1 to Sweden.

Fact: No goalkeeper has conceded more goals at World Cups than Mohamed Al-Deayea, who shipped in 25 goals over four World Cups from 1994 to 2006.

Best World Cup moment: Saudi Arabia may have lost 2-1 to the Netherlands in the 1994 group stages, but Fuad Anwar handed them a shock lead after 18 minutes in their first ever World Cup game - second-half goals from Wim Jonk and Gaston Taument turned the game on its head.

Player you've never heard of: Yahya Al-Shehri - The winger, currently on loan at Leganes, scored five goals in World Cup qualifying.

Kit: Home - white; Away - green.

Group A fixtures: Russia (4pm, June 14, Moscow), Uruguay (4pm, June 20, Rostov-On-Don), Egypt (3pm, June 25, Volgograd)

 

Source: cbssports, skysports, FIFA, Youtube

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