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Despite Saudi Arabia goalkeeper Mohamed Al Owais’ exceptional performance against Uruguay at the 2026 World Cup, the biggest controversy after the match was not about the result (1-1) but about the man of the match, which went to the Saudi goalkeeper, even though he was the most prominent inside the green rectangle.
Al Owais had a historic match by any standards as he blocked 9 dangerous attempts, including 4 shots from the penalty area. He also scored more than once on his own goal, and deprived Uruguay of goals that could have changed the course of the match, so that the “greens” remained in the atmosphere of the match until the end.
Despite this overwhelming presence, the organizers announced that the man of the match award would go to Uruguayan star Federico Valverde, a decision that raised a lot of questions among fans and followers, especially since the Saudi goalkeeper was the most influential part of the match.
Read also…Video: Al Owais rescues Saudi Arabia from storming Uruguay on historic night
The decision to select Valverde over Al Owais opened the door to debate about the criteria for awarding the man of the match award, especially in matches where goalkeepers shine exceptionally without this being reflected in the individual crowning.
Many believe that Al Owais deserved the award, not just for the number of saves he made, but also for his decisive timing against dangerous attempts that almost gave Uruguay a win on one occasion.
Valverde’s selection, on the other hand, was based on his midfield influence and attempts to attack, but that did not end the controversy, but rather fueled the fire among Saudi fans and followers who believed there was no ‘fairness’ this time around.
So Al Owais came out of a historic night with an all-out heroic performance, but without an individual award to reflect his performance, so his name remained the headliner despite the result and the official honour.
