Joy, anguish, delight, hope and despair. Saudi Arabia lived the full range of sporting emotions at the FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
Ultimately it ended in disappointment after Mexico claimed a victory with a 2-1 win. It will, however, be a tournament long-remembered not just in the Kingdom but around the Arab world.
Despite finishing bottom of the group Saudi Arabia’s performances, grit, determination and sporting quality will have won over fans and pundits the world over.
Saudi Arabia valiant in defeat
The game was level at half time and Saudi Arabia held on to hopes of progressing in the tournament. It was snuffed out early on as Henry Martin scored for Mexico in the 47th minute. They followed up minutes later with a stunning Luis Chavez free kick.
Salem Al Dawsari scored deep into injury time for Saudi, but it was little more than a consolation and national pride.
Rated 51st in the World by FIFA, qualification from a group including Poland (26th) and Mexico (13th) was always going to be difficult.
Beating 3rd-ranked Argentina offered a glimmer of hope, but subsequent defeats to Mexico and Poland brought the dream to an expected end.
The atmosphere was electric in the Lusail Iconic Stadium. Every attack, chance, tackle and opportunity for the Green Falcons roared by thousands of supporters with such volume and ferocity that it might have been heard back in Riyadh.
The Central American’s quality shone through in the end and a second half saw Mexicans launch waver after wave of attack as they chased qualification from the group.
The Kingdom now looks ahead to the future and the possibilities of hosting the tournament itself in 2030. The Kingdom is already in the running to host the 2027 AFC Asian Cup and Sports Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al Faisal says Saudi Arabia would love to host a future World Cup in coming years.
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