The Italian coach of the Saudi national football team, Roberto Mancini, stressed the difficulty of tomorrow’s match against the Indonesian national team, which will take place at King Abdullah Sports City Stadium in Jeddah. The match is part of the first round of the third stage of the Asian qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
During a press conference held today in Jeddah, Mancini stressed the importance of tomorrow’s match, particularly as it is the first game in the World Cup qualifiers. He said: “The Indonesian team has developed significantly over the past ten years and has professional players, but the Saudi team will be fully prepared to win.” He also said that having eight foreign players in the Saudi league benefits local players, as it allows them to interact with experienced players, which in turn helps them develop and gain more opportunities to participate.
Mancini expressed his satisfaction with the current squad, noting that the Saudi team’s best match recently was against the Republic of
Korea, despite the loss.
The Italian coach also highlighted the significance of player Saud Abdulhamid’s move to Roma, describing it as a positive step for Saudi players in terms of professional development. He pointed out that he had no direct involvement in Abdulhamid’s transfer abroad but did offer him advice. Mancini emphasized that it is important for Saudi players to play professionally abroad to reach the level of players from Japan, Australia, and Korea, hoping that more Saudi players will have opportunities in Europe.
Meanwhile, player Fahad Al-Muwallad said, “The first matches in any tournament are challenging, but with this group, we are ready and looking forward to winning and securing the first three points in our journey.” He also expressed his pride in coach Mancini’s trust in him, noting that representing the national team is a dream for any Saudi player. Al-Muwallad hopes to see strong fan support during their qualification campaign.
Source: Saudi Press Agency