Saudi Arabia World Cup squad in 2022: Who's in and out?

Saudi Arabia World Cup squad in 2022: Who's in and out?

Kevin Omuya
updated at August 9, 2023 at 9:30 AM

The Green Falcons of Saudi Arabia entered the FIFA World Cup 2022 as significant underdogs, with most pundits picking them to finish last in Group C behind heavy favourites Argentina, Poland, and Mexico. The Saudi Arabia World Cup squad, coached by the seasoned Frenchman Hervé Renard, has a lacklustre track record at the event.

Who plays for the Saudi Arabia national team?
Saudi Arabia's players jog during a training session at the Sealine Beach Resort in Doha on November 17, 2022, ahead of the Qatar 2022 World Cup football tournament. Photo: Khaled Desouki
Source: Getty Images

The Saudi Arabian team can fly into Qatar from their home country in just over an hour, and their time in Qatar for the World Cup 2022 will likely be just as brief as their flight there. The Saudi Arabia official roster for Qatar was released after Hervé Renard's October announcement of a 32-man provisional selection for the competition.

Who plays for the Saudi Arabia national team?

With only 26 spots available for the 2022 World Cup squad in Qatar, Hervé Renard had to whittle down his initial roster of 32 players. Here is the squad list representing them in World Cup 2022.

Goalkeepers

Saudi Arabia world cup squad 2022
Saudi Arabia goalkeeper Mohammed Al Owais during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 at Education City Stadium on November 26, 2022, in Doha, Qatar. Photo: ANP via Getty Images
Source: Getty Images

Three Saudi Arabian goalkeepers have been named as contenders for the upcoming World Cup in Qatar. The 31-year-old Mohammed Al-Owais, who now plays for Al-Hilal in Saudi Arabia, has the most international experience and is the clear favourite to start.

When it comes to goalkeeping for Renard, Mohammed Al-Owais is in a class of his own. The 30-year-old has started every 2022 international match for Saudi Arabia and was instrumental in their World Cup qualification campaign.

The Al-Mohammed Ahli's Al Rubiae, and the Qarni's Fawaz, are the next-best and third-best keepers, respectively. The 25-year-old Al-Rubaie has been excellent for Al-Ahli in the domestic league and is a formidable substitute. Between the pipes, you can also choose Nawaf Al-Aqidi.

Name

Club

Mohammed Al Rubaie

Al-Ahli

Mohammed Al-Owais

Al-Hilal

Nawaf Al-Aqidi

Al-Nassr

Defenders

Who plays for the Saudi Arabia national team?
Poland's Jakub trying to go through during Saudi Arabia's defense of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 against Poland at Education City Stadium on 26 November 2022 in Al Rayyan, Qatar. Photo: Ayman Aref
Source: Getty Images

Before deciding on the present defensive formation, Renard tried out a few different options last year. Ali Al-Bulaihi has played the most minutes at center-back, while others like Abdulelah Al-Amri, Ziyad Al-Sahafi, and Hassan Tambakti have also been on the field.

Although Yasser Al-Shahrani and Nasser Al-Dawsari have predominantly played left-back, Sultan Al-Ghanam and Saud Abdulhamid are the two most well-liked candidates at right-back:

Name

Club

Abdulelah Al-Amri

Al-Nassr

Abdullah Madu

Al-Nassr

Sultan Al-Ghanam

Al-Nassr

Ali Al-Bulaihi

Al-Hilal

Saud Abdulhamid

Al-Ittihad

Mohammed Al-Breik

Al-Hilal

Hassan Tambakti

Al-Shabab

Yasser Al-Shahrani

Al-Hilal

Midfielders

2022 Saudi Arabia world cup squad
Saudi Arabia's players gather together before the start of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 qualifying round against Vietnam at My Dinh National Stadium in Hanoi on November 16, 2021. Photo: Nhac Nguyen
Source: Getty Images

Salman Al Faraj and Abdullah Otayf are the two defensive midfielders who see the most playing time. By working together on the field for Al-Hilal, they can better communicate at the park's hub. Salem Al-Dawsari, who has played superbly for Saudi Arabia on the left wing, should be among the first names on the team sheet.

One more seasoned contender is Hattan Bahebri, a player who is frequently used as an attacking midfielder. The 30-year-old is an established member of the Al-team.

Name

Club

Salem Al-Dawsari

Al-Hilal

Salman Al-Faraj

Al-Hilal

Sami Al-Najei

Al-Nassr

Ali Al-Hassan

Al-Nassr

Nawaf Al-Abed

Al-Shabab

Nasser Al-Dawsari

Al-Hilal

Riyadh Sharahili

Abha

Hattan Bahebri

Al-Shabab

Abdullah Otayf

Al-Hilal

Mohamed Kanno

Al-Hilal

Abdulrahman Al-Aboud

Al-Ittihad

Attackers

Saudi Arabia world cup squad list 2022
Saudi Arabian players gather ahead of the Qatar 2022 World Cup Group C football match vs. Poland at the Education City Stadium in Al-Rayyan on November 26, 2022. Photo: Kirill Kudryavtsev
Source: Getty Images

The best option for line leaders is Firas Al-Buraikan. The Al-Fateh forward has been on fire for his club and will be looking to carry that form into the World Cup. Saleh Al-Shehri scored seven times in thirteen games during the qualification round, showing his finest state of the tournament. He's poised to give Al-Buraikan a run for his money.

Name

Club

Firas Al-Buraikan

Al-Fateh

Haitham Asiri

Al-Ahli

Saleh Al-Shehri

Al-Hilal

Who is the Saudi Arabia national team captain in this world cup?

Salman Al Faraj, the captain of the Saudi team, will not be able to play any further in the World Cup due to an injury. The Al Hilal defender exited the stadium on crutches after suffering a leg injury in a shocking 2-1 triumph over Argentina.

Key players in Saudi Arabia World Cup squad

Saudi Arabia world cup squad
Saudi Arabia players pose for a group photo ahead of their World Cup Group C football match against Argentina on Nov. 22, 2022, at Lusail Stadium in Lusail, Qatar. Photo: Kyodo News
Source: Getty Images

It is safe to assume that the Saudi Arabian squad for the 2022 World Cup will contain a few stars who will be expected to carry the load for the team. If the Green Falcons want to advance past the group stage in Qatar, they will need their top players to bring their A-game. In the sections below, we will focus on a few of the critical members of their team.

Mr. Saleh Al-Shehri Saleh Al-Shehri, a forward for Saudi Arabia, has proven his worth in the attack with nine goals in his last seventeen games. With the appropriate service, Al-Shehri can be a predatory finisher in Qatar, as evidenced by his seven-goal performance during the Green Falcons' World Cup qualification campaign.

Salem Al-Dawsari — During Saudi Arabia's victorious qualification run, Al-Dawsari tied Al-Shehri for goals. His contributions helped the team finish first in their Asian group, ahead of strong teams from Japan and Australia. A-Dawsari poses a threat with his close control and direct running in Qatar.

Saudi Arabia World Cup 2022 jersey

The home and away Nike Saudi Arabia FIFA World Cup 2022 jerseys are made from eco-friendly fabrics. The green 2022 Saudi Arabian away jerseys have lighter green and white elements in honour of the Kingdom's flag and national colours. To represent their home country in the 2022 FIFA World Cup, Saudi Arabia will wear white jerseys with a grey feather print and green trim.

Who is out in the Saudi Arabia squad in World Cup 2022?

After Fahad Al-Muwallad failed a drug test in February, he was dismissed from the team as a preventative measure. It was decided to replace him with Nawaf al-Abed. It is possible that Al-Ghanam will start at right back and that Mohammed Al-Breik will take over for the injured Al-Shahrani on the left side of the defense.

As the team with the second-lowest ranking in Qatar, the Saudi Arabia World Cup squad is often regarded as one of the tournament's worst squads. They have a 0% chance of winning the game.

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Authors
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Kevin Omuya
Kevin Omuya is a Content Writer with 4 years of experience who joined Sports Brief in 2022. In 2019 he held a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism & Digital Media from KCA University.