Saudi Arabia’s shock victory over Argentina at the 2022 World Cup remains one of the tournament’s greatest upsets, but the Green Falcons have otherwise struggled to make an impact on football’s biggest stage in recent decades.
The 2-1 win over eventual champion Argentina in Qatar marked only Saudi Arabia’s second victory across its last five World Cup appearances. Since reaching the round of 16 in 1994, the team has failed to progress beyond the group stage in tournaments held in 1998, 2002, 2006, 2018 and 2022.
Now preparing for a third consecutive World Cup appearance in 2026, Saudi Arabia enters the tournament with questions lingering over whether it can finally break that cycle.
The team’s qualifying campaign offered little reassurance. Unlike its smoother paths to the 2018 and 2022 tournaments, Saudi Arabia required an additional round of Asian qualifying to secure its place in North America.
After finishing second behind Jordan in the second group phase, Saudi Arabia placed third behind Japan and Australia in the next round before eventually booking qualification by finishing ahead of Iraq and Indonesia in the fourth phase.
The uneven campaign contributed to the dismissal of French coach Hervé Renard just 59 days before the start of the World Cup, despite his strong international pedigree and role in orchestrating the famous Argentina victory.
Saudi Arabia has since turned to Georgios Donis, a coach familiar with the Saudi Pro League and viewed as a pragmatic appointment. The former Premier League midfielder favors a counterattacking style built on defensive organization and quick transitions, an approach similar to the one used under Renard.
Drawn alongside Spain, Uruguay and Cabo Verde, Saudi Arabia is expected to spend long periods without possession during the group stage.
The Green Falcons are likely to adopt a compact defensive setup while looking to press aggressively in selected moments and launch rapid attacks through the flanks.
Fullbacks are expected to push forward to exploit space behind opposing defenses, with Saudi Arabia relying on pace and transitions rather than sustained possession.
Breaking down organized defenses has often proved difficult for the team, making a disciplined counterattacking approach its most realistic route to success - the same formula that delivered its historic victory over Argentina four years ago.