Saud vs. Hakeem.. France war set to explode at World Cup summit

The 2026 World Cup enters with plenty of anticipated individual clashes, but Arab eyes will be on a special kind of conflict between Saud Abdel Hamid and Ashraf Hakimi, two of the most famous players in recent Arab and international football.

Saud Abdul Hamid has emerged as one of the standout stars of the Saudi Arabia national team ahead of the 2026 World Cup after an exceptional season for Lens that saw him establish himself as one of the best full-backs in the French league and one of the Greens’ most important weapons at the World Cup.

Read also… The World Cup is a lifeline… Donis’ bets put him in the face of the Saudi cannon

Achraf Hakimi, on the other hand, continues to cement his position as one of the world’s elite full-backs, thanks to his impressive displays with PSG and Morocco, making him a key pillar of the Atlas Lions’ World Cup ambitions.

Looking at the French league last season, we find that Saud Abdel Hamid is numerically superior to Achraf Hakim as he contributed 7 in 25 matches in the competition (scoring 2 goals and making 5 assists).

On the other hand, Hakimi made only 4 contributions in 18 matches with the Parisian giants in the French championship.

Despite the difference in experience and achievements between the players, Saud’s remarkable brilliance last season brought him very close to competing with Hakimi for the top spot among Arab full-backs, with the pair becoming the model for the most prominent Arab stars in the position at the World Cup, waiting to see who can make the biggest mark on the international stage.