KSAsportz report
JEDDAH — Saudi Arabia’s head coach Hervé Renard has voiced unwavering confidence in his team’s quest for qualification to the 2026 FIFA World Cup, declaring to his players, “We will qualify together.” The announcement comes ahead of their AFC playoff opener against Indonesia at Alinma Stadium in King Abdullah Sports City.
Speaking on Tuesday, Renard urged for a strong turnout from fans, saying, “The press room is full today, we want the stadium full tomorrow too.” A crowd of approximately 60,000 is expected to cheer on the Green Falcons as they begin what is viewed as a critical qualification campaign.
“We are on the right path technically, and I told my players that we will reach the World Cup together. Tomorrow will be a different kind of game, and I’m sure we’ll give more than 100 percent to achieve qualification,” Renard stated, emphasizing the team’s determination. Saudi Arabia, a nation with a history of World Cup participation, having qualified for six previous tournaments, aims to secure its spot for the seventh time.
“We know how important it is for the Saudi national team to be at the World Cup. We qualified in 2018 and again in 2022, now we must show the same determination to do it again,” Renard added.
The coach addressed concerns regarding the team’s defensive performance, acknowledging that improvement has been gradual. “When I arrived a year ago, our target was direct qualification, but that didn’t happen because we needed to grow in several areas. Since the Gulf Cup, we’ve made clear progress; now we must prove it on the field,” he remarked.
Renard also confirmed that nearly half of the squad has changed since their last encounter with Indonesia, demonstrating a commitment to evolving the team. “We have evolved technically, and we’ll see tomorrow whether we’ve developed enough,” he stated.
When asked about the absence of key players from the Indonesian squad, Renard emphasized, “We’re focused on ourselves and on what we need to do this week. Let’s play the match first — then we’ll talk again afterward.”
Saudi defender Nawaf Boushal expressed similar optimism, declaring, “We’re ready for the match. With our fans behind us, we want to take all three points.”