The wound of 2002 is reopening… and Saudi Arabia is repeating the nightmare

Saudi Arabia’s exit from the 2026 FIFA World Cup was not just the end of a disappointing run, but rather revealed one of the most disappointing editions in Al-Akhdar’s history. After having high ambitions to reach the play-offs, the team found themselves bottom of their group with just two points, settling for one goal while conceding five goals, a figure that reflected a technical and offensive collapse that shocked the fans.

The problem was not only in the results, but in the boring character in which the team appeared throughout the group stage. Al-Akhdar lacked attacking solutions and failed to create or convert chances, making them seem unable to threaten the opposition’s goal for most of the tournament, as if the forward line was completely absent from the field.

Saudi Arabia scored just one goal in the entire tournament, signing defender Abdul-Ilah Al-Omar in the opening game against Uruguay, a shocking tally that reflects the extent of the attacking crisis, according to the newspaper.Middle EastCrucially, the defenders were more effective than the forwards in a scene that summed up the team’s struggles in front of goal.

The result brought back memories of the 2002 World Cup in Korea and Japan, when Saudi Arabia exited the group stage without scoring a single goal and conceding 12 goals. Admittedly, the current edition did not witness the same degree of defensive collapse, but it revealed an equally serious offensive crisis and reopened the case for the Saudi striker’s decline and inability to compete at the highest levels.

The bitterness of the setback was compounded as the current tournament offered unprecedented opportunities for qualification, bringing the number of teams to 48, with extra cards awarded to the third-place finishers. However, “Al-Akhdar” could not take advantage of this historic opportunity, continuing the streak of missing the knockout stages of the World Cup for the sixth time in a row, according to “Al-Akhdar” newspaper.Middle East“.

The team settled for draws with Uruguay and Cape Verde on their journey before suffering a painful clean sheet defeat to Spain to end the tournament without a win, a side that lacked personality, efficiency and ability to compete.

If the 2022 World Cup in Qatar saw a historic victory over Argentina and gave fans hope that the team could compete with the greats, the 2026 edition completely dispelled that image after the Greens team appeared less good, weaker in character and more unable to keep up with their opponents.

The final blow came to Cape Verde when the Saudi Arabian team had a golden opportunity to qualify for the round of 32 as only a win was enough to see them through. But facing the 64th-ranked team in the FIFA rankings, six places behind Saudi Arabia, it looked like the Greens could not take even the easiest of chances, exiting the World Cup early.