Saudi Arabia have vowed to show they deserve to be at the World Cup as they look to rebound from their heavy opening-day defeat when they take on Uruguay on Wednesday.
The Gulf side, the tournament’s second lowest-ranked team, marked their return to the global finals for the first time in 12 years in incredibly disappointing fashion, losing 5-0 loss to hosts Russia in Moscow last Thursday.
As such, Saudi’s chances of progression, however unlikely, hinge on gleaning a result from their second Group A assignment, against Uruguay in Rostov-on-Don.
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More from 2018 World Cup:
John McAuley from Russia: Saudi Arabia v Uruguay talking points
Saudi Arabia's World Cup squad suffer scare as airplane has 'technical failure'
Saudi Arabia's players accused of only giving '5 per cent' in World Cup loss to Russia
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Manager Juan Antonio Pizzi needs a positive performance almost as much as his players, with both parties receiving significant criticism from government and football officials in Saudi Arabia, as well as Saudi supporters. Turki Al Sheikh, the head of the general Sports Authority, was one such critic, although he laid the blame at both his door and that of the players.
Asked about that in the pre-match press briefing on Tuesday, Pizzi said: “I really do not want to comment on what other people say. What I can say is that we are being very critical our ourselves. We are not happy with what we did in our first match.
“I’m the top person in charge here and in our mind we have the priority of trying to turn the tables around. We want to change the impression people have from the opening match. We are fully prepared to do that and we trust our ability play a great match tomorrow.
“We have an opportunity to try and turn around our result so far. And our performance which isn’t really in line with what we had expected and wanted. So we’re going to do our very best to win it to try and reach the same level of quality as our opponent and to demonstrate that we are in a position to play this match and win it.”
The defeat to Russia was Saudi’s second-heaviest at the World Cup, with only the 8-0 defeat to Germany – hosts that year, too - in 2006 a worse result. As group favourites, Uruguay will represent difficult opponents, especially since they arrive at the match on the back of Friday’s last-gasp 1-0 victory against Egypt.
“Undoubtedly tomorrow’s game will be very difficult,” midfielder Taiser Al Jassim said. “We have come out from a very difficult match and we as players have a responsibility towards our supporters and the Saudi people.
“We were not able to rise up to the expectations in the first match, but we hope that we will tomorrow. We were very sad because of the previous match, however tomorrow we have a chance to improve our image and we hope that tomorrow will be much more ready.
“The World Cup is usually is full of unexpected events. Football is full of unexpected events. Hopefully tomorrow we will exert our best efforts to show the Saudi people we are up to the standard expected of us.”
Saudi made headlines again on Monday when an engine on their plane caught fire upon arrival in Rostov-on-Don, although fortunately no one was injured.
“After the event yesterday, you’ve seen the pictures but we really don’t know anything else, we have no further information,” Pizzi said. “But we didn’t feel afraid, there was no panic. We fully trust the pilot and those in charge of the plane.
“So we were cool and calm at all times. Although the pictures do speak for themselves and point towards some emergency. But we certainly didn’t feel uncomfortable. And it certainly will not affect our performance tomorrow."
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Emergency phone numbers in the UAE
Estijaba – 8001717 – number to call to request coronavirus testing
Ministry of Health and Prevention – 80011111
Dubai Health Authority – 800342 – The number to book a free video or voice consultation with a doctor or connect to a local health centre
Emirates airline – 600555555
Etihad Airways – 600555666
Ambulance – 998
Knowledge and Human Development Authority – 8005432 ext. 4 for Covid-19 queries
Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
Tips to stay safe during hot weather
- Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of fluids, especially water. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which can increase dehydration.
- Seek cool environments: Use air conditioning, fans, or visit community spaces with climate control.
- Limit outdoor activities: Avoid strenuous activity during peak heat. If outside, seek shade and wear a wide-brimmed hat.
- Dress appropriately: Wear lightweight, loose and light-coloured clothing to facilitate heat loss.
- Check on vulnerable people: Regularly check in on elderly neighbours, young children and those with health conditions.
- Home adaptations: Use blinds or curtains to block sunlight, avoid using ovens or stoves, and ventilate living spaces during cooler hours.
- Recognise heat illness: Learn the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke (dizziness, confusion, rapid pulse, nausea), and seek medical attention if symptoms occur.
The specs
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Conflict, drought, famine
Estimates of the number of deaths caused by the famine range from 400,000 to 1 million, according to a document prepared for the UK House of Lords in 2024.
It has been claimed that the policies of the Ethiopian government, which took control after deposing Emperor Haile Selassie in a military-led revolution in 1974, contributed to the scale of the famine.
Dr Miriam Bradley, senior lecturer in humanitarian studies at the University of Manchester, has argued that, by the early 1980s, “several government policies combined to cause, rather than prevent, a famine which lasted from 1983 to 1985. Mengistu’s government imposed Stalinist-model agricultural policies involving forced collectivisation and villagisation [relocation of communities into planned villages].
The West became aware of the catastrophe through a series of BBC News reports by journalist Michael Buerk in October 1984 describing a “biblical famine” and containing graphic images of thousands of people, including children, facing starvation.
Band Aid
Bob Geldof, singer with the Irish rock group The Boomtown Rats, formed Band Aid in response to the horrific images shown in the news broadcasts.
With Midge Ure of the band Ultravox, he wrote the hit charity single Do They Know it’s Christmas in December 1984, featuring a string of high-profile musicians.
Following the single’s success, the idea to stage a rock concert evolved.
Live Aid was a series of simultaneous concerts that took place at Wembley Stadium in London, John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, the US, and at various other venues across the world.
The combined event was broadcast to an estimated worldwide audience of 1.5 billion.
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