Saudi Arabia national football team

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Saudi Arabia

Nickname

Naikeen Almaghrbah

Association

Saudi Arabia Football Federation

Confederation

AFC (Asia)

Head coach

Hélio since march 2007

Most caps

Mohamed Al-Deayea (181)

Top scorer

Majed Abdullah (67)

Home stadium

King Fahd International Stadium

FIFA code

KSA

FIFA ranking

Highest FIFA ranking

21 (July 2004)

Lowest FIFA ranking

81 (July 2006)

Elo ranking





First kit





Second kit

First international

Saudi Arabia 3 - 1 Syria

(Lebanon; October 20, 1957)

Biggest win

Saudi Arabia 8 - 0 Macao

(Taif, Saudi Arabia; May 14, 1993)

Biggest defeat

Brazil 3 - 1 Saudi Arabia

(Brazil; 6 September 1961)

World Cup

Appearances

4 (First in 1994)

Best result

Round 2 1994

AFC Asian Cup

Appearances

6 (First in 1984)

Best result

Winners, 1984, 1988, 1996

Confederations Cup

Appearances

4 (First in 1992)

Best result

2nd, 1992

The Saudi Arabia national football team (Arabic: منتخب السعودية لكرة القدم‎) (known by its fans as al-Sogour which means "The Falcons" or al-Akhdar which means "The Green") is the national team of Saudi Arabia and is controlled by the Saudi Arabia Football Federation. It is one of Asia's most successful national teams. They are regarded as a newcomer on the world scene, having made their first World Cup in 1994. They have qualified for every World Cup since then.

In 1994, they upset Belgium at the group stage before falling to Sweden in the next round. The side were dismissed in the first round of the next three Cup tournaments, including an 8-0 defeat by Germany in 2002.

Saudi Arabia won the Asian Cup three times, in 1984, 1988, and 1996. They won the World Under-17 Championship in 1989.

On June 8, 2005, they qualified for their fourth World Cup by beating Uzbekistan 3-0 in Riyadh.

Mohamed Al-Deayea, the team's goalkeeper, is the world recordholder for most international appearances by a male player.

1 World Cup record
2 FIFA U-17 World Championship
3 Asian Cup record
4 Famous players
5 Famous Coaches
6 2006 World Cup Squad
- 6.1 2006 World Cup Information
7 External links

[edit] World Cup record

1930 to 1974 - Did not enter
1978 to 1990 - Did not qualify
1994 - Round 2
1998 - Round 1
2002 - Round 1
2006 - Round 1

[edit] FIFA U-17 World Championship

1985 - Round 2
1987 - Round 1
1989 - Champions

[edit] Asian Cup record

1956 to 1972 - Did not enter
1976 - Withdrew
1980 - Did not enter
1984 - Champions
1988 - Champions
1992 - Second place
1996 - Champions
2000 - Second place
2004 - Round 1

[edit] Famous players

[edit] Famous Coaches

Ferenc Puskás

[edit] 2006 World Cup Squad

Mohammad Al-Anbar was originally announced as a member of the squad but was injured on 13 June 2006 during a training session on the eve of their opening match. He was replaced by Mohamed Al-Bishi.

No.	Pos.	Player	DoB/Age	Caps	Club
1	GK	Mohammad Al-Deayea	2 August 1972	181	Al-Hilal
2	DF	Ahmed Al-Doukhi	25 October 1976	69	Al-Ittihad
3	DF	Redha Tukar	29 November 1975	38	Al-Ittihad
4	DF	Hamad Al-Montashari	22 June 1982	33	Al-Ittihad
5	DF	Naif Al-Qadhi	3 April 1979	28	Al-Ahli
6	MF	Omar Al-Ghamdi	11 April 1979	39	Al-Hilal
7	MF	Mohammed Ameen	29 April 1980	17	Al-Ittihad
8	MF	Mohammed Noor	26 February 1978	64	Al-Ittihad
9	FW	Sami Al-Jaber	11 December 1972	161	Al-Hilal
10	MF	Mohammad Al-Shalhoub	8 December 1980	48	Al-Hilal
11	FW	Saad Al-Harthi	3 February 1984	15	Al-Nasr
12	DF	Abdul Aziz Al-Khathran	31 July 1973	19	Al-Hilal
13	DF	Hussein Abdul Ghani	21 January 1977	98	Al-Ahli
14	MF	Saoud Kariri	8 July 1980	35	Al-Ittihad
15	DF	Ahmad Al-Bahri	18 September 1980	11	Al-Shabab
16	MF	Khaled Aziz	14 July 1981	15	Al-Hilal
17	FW	Mohamed Al-Bishi	3 May 1987	0	Al-Ahli
18	MF	Nawaf Al-Temyat	28 June 1976	57	Al-Hilal
19	MF	Hazim Tahir	5 August 1983	5	Al-Ahli
20	FW	Yasser Al-Qahtani	10 October 1982	47	Al-Hilal
21	GK	Mabrouk Zaid	11 February 1979	34	Al-Ittihad
22	GK	Mohammad Khouja	15 March 1982	8	Al-Shabab
23	FW	Malek Mouath	10 August 1981	6	Al-Ahli

Italy and Saudi Arabia were the only countries to submit squad lists for the 2006 World Cup comprised entirely of players contracted to clubs in their own country.

[edit] 2006 World Cup Information

Saudi Arabia managed to draw their opening game against Tunisia. They conceded the lead at half time after Zaid Jaziri volleyed in a mislaid header, but Tunisia didn't start well in the second half and Saudi Arabia equalised from Yasser Al-Qahtani. Substitute Sami Al-Jaber came on and scored with 4 minutes to go to put the Saudis 2-1 up, but in added time Bolton defender Radhi Jaidi headed in an equaliser for Tunisia. Saudi Arabia then lost 4-0 to Ukraine in Hamburg, with goals from Andri Rusol, Serhiy Rebrov, Andriy Shevchenko and Maksym Kalynychenko.

Their third group game played against a Spain team featuring mainly substitutes, with the latter having already secured first place in the group, ended with a 1-0 defeat, with Juanito's header ending the Saudi's term at World Cup 2006.