Saudia Arabia World Cup 2006 Team Profile

John Duerden

Saudi Arabia Kit 1 Copyright © Soccerphile	Saudi Arabia Kit 2 Copyright © Soccerphile

When one thinks of Saudi Arabia in the World Cup, there are two widely differing images to choose from.

The first, and the choice of Saudi fans, is of Saeed Owairan picking the ball up inside his own half in the 1994 World Cup, the Sons of the Desert's first ever appearance on the global stage. The 'Arabian Maradona' slalomed his way past almost the entire Belgian team to score the goal of the tournament and become a huge star in his home country.

To make the occasion even more memorable for lovers of Saudi football, the goal was the only strike of the game and was responsible for sending the team into the knockout stage and into history as only the second Asian team to do so.

Fast forward eight years to 2002 and there is a slightly different story to tell as veteran goalkeeper Mohammed Al-Deayea lies on the ground with his face buried in the turf. It was a night that all fans of Asian football will want to forget as Germany helped themselves to eight unanswered goals in the baseball stadium in the northern Japanese city of Sapporo.

Unsurprisingly, the powers-that-be in Riyadh would rather replay the first scenario and have done their utmost to ensure that this happens. Unfortunately however the scenario that keeps being replayed is the Saudi Football Federation hiring a new coach, one that is going to once again make Saudi Arabia a force in the world of football and then firing him fairly soon afterwards.

Fifteen times this has happened since the end of USA 94 and with such a lack of stability, it is sometimes surprising that the team has managed to qualify for every World Cup since their debut.

It was Gabriel Calderon who took the reins after the sacking of Dutchman Gerard Van Der Lem for a first round Asian Cup exit in July 2004 and the Argentine took the team to Germany with few problems.

The former Paris St. Germain and Real Betis defender watched as his players finished Group A in top spot and unbeaten, six games which included two fine victories over South Korea.

Despite the success, Calderon was on his way four months later after a poor showing in the fairly unimportant West Asian Games and misgivings in the Saudi Football Association about his World Cup preparation plans.

Enter Marcos Paqueta, the coach of Riyadh powerhouse Al-Hilal. The Brazilian may have wished that his new employers hadn't arranged quite so many friendlies before the World Cup - as his players have, so far, failed to win any of them, leading to rumours of unhappiness in regards to his constant shuffling of the team.

The former Brazil under-17 boss is still in his position at the time of writing but with the Saudi scimitar of Damocles above his head, it remains to be seen if he will be the one that is sat in the dugout when Saudi Arabia take on Tunisia on June 14 in the spectacular Allianz Arena in Munich.

Star Players

Sami Al Jaber

The Al Hilal striker is about to join the select band of players that have participated in four World Cups, a fact that may surprise a few Wolverhampton Wanderers' fans who witnesses the 34-year-old's brief and unsuccessful loan period in the Black Country five years ago.

After the nightmare of 2002, Al Jaber called it a day but was summoned out of international retirement by Gabriel Calderon and his three goals in the final stage of qualifying played a big part in sending him and the Sons of the Desert to World Cup number four.

Mohammed Noor

The powerful midfielder hasn't seen much action for the national team in the past year or two as he fell out of favour with Calderon. Paqueta, despite his Al Hilal leanings recalled the 28-year-old with an eye for goal and a fit and on form Noor could be his just reward.

Despite his absence from the international stage, Noor still managed to show the world what he is capable with a series of fine performances in last December's FIFA Club World Championship.

World Cup Squad

Bet on the World Cup

Goalkeepers Mohammad Al-Deayea (Al-Hilal), Mabrouk Zayed (Al-Ittihad), Mohammad Khouja (Al-Shabab)
Defenders Ahmad Al-Doukhi (Al-Ittihad), Redha Takar (Al-Ittihad), Hamad Al-Montashari (Al-Ittihad), Ahmad Al-Bahri (Al-Ittifak), Mohammad Masaad (Al-Ahli), Nayef Al-Kadhi (Al-Ahli), Hussein Abdul Ghani (Al-Ahli), Abdul Aziz Al-Khathran (Al-Hilal)
Midfielders Saoud Kariri (Al-Ittihad), Mohammad Nour (Al-Ittihad), Mohammad Amin (Al-Ittihad), Khaled Aziz (Al-Hilal), Omar Al-Ghamdi (Al-Hilal), Nawaf Al-Temyat (Al-Hilal), Mohammad Al-Shalhoub (Al-Hilal)
Forwards Sami Al-Jaber (Al-Hilal), Yasser Al-Qahtani (Al-Hilal), Mohammad Al-Anbar (Al-Hilal), Saad al-Harthi (Al-Nasr), Malek Maath (Al-Ahli)

Flights To Germany
Opodo

England Products
T-shirts, hats, caps

"The Onside In-Site" Copyright © From 2000. All rights reserved. Soccerphile Ltd.