Saudi Arabia at the 2022 World Cup – Betting Odds & Tips

Saudi Arabia are considered one of the biggest underdogs in the entire field of participants at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

What advantages and plus points the players from the Arabian peninsula have nevertheless and what the best Saudi Arabia World Cup 2022 tips are, we explain in this article.

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Betting on Saudi Arabia at the 2022 World Cup

1. Saudi Arabia Odds World Cup 2022
2. Current form and results
3. Further preparation and test matches
4. Match schedule of Saudi Arabia at the 2022 World Cup
5. Saudi Arabia’s World Cup squad
6. World Cup History of Saudi Arabia
7. FAQ – Questions and answers about Saudi Arabia at the World Cup 2022

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Best Bookmaker for World Cup Betting

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Saudi Arabia Odds World Cup 2022

Saudi Arabia will participate in a FIFA World Cup for the sixth time in 2022. Our bookmaker test winner Bet365 gives a World Cup title for Saudi Arabia odds of @751.00, the highest of all participants in the World Cup finals – ex aequo with Iran and Costa Rica.

	➜ visit Bookmaker	➜ visit Bookmaker	➜ visit Bookmaker
Saudi Arabia to win World Cup 2022	751	725	750

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Of course, the World Cup title is de facto impossible for the Saudis, not only because the team will travel to neighboring Qatar without a single player who earns his money outside of Saudi Arabia.

➜ Saudi Arabia to win World Cup 2022 @ 751.00 / Bet365

The same applies to a final appearance of Saudi Arabia. The team already has to face Argentina in the first match and thus Messi and Co. and so it should quickly be clear that even the chances of getting through the group will be very slim.

Again, Saudi Arabia, Iran and Costa Rica together have the highest odds of all participating teams for reaching the World Cup final.

➜ Saudi Arabia to reach the World Cup final @ 251.00 / 22Bet

Already on the first matchday Saudi Arabia has to face Argentina and thus one of the co-favorites for the World Cup title. One could definitely imagine an easier opening match, but even after that it won’t be much easier in Group C against Poland and Mexico, between whom a close race for the second place is expected.

All the teams facing Saudi Arabia see the match as a clear must-win and will perform accordingly. Under normal circumstances, the Saudis’ group win is also practically unthinkable.

➜ Saudi Arabia to win Group C @ 35.00 / 22Bet

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At our best bookmaker Bet365, two Saudi players made it to the list of possible World Cup top scorers – but also with one of the highest odds offered for betting tips in this type of bet, which is @251.00.

It would be a memorable achievement for the Saudi attackers to get on the scoresheet even once, and it is unlikely that any of the Saudi squad players will be allowed to celebrate a goal more than once.

However, Saleh Al-Shehri, who is listed here, should be watched, because the powerful attacker of Hervé Renard’s team is a talented striker who definitely knows where the goal is.

Firas Al-Buraikan to be World Cup top scorer @ 251.00 / Bet365
Saleh Al-Shehri to be World Cup top scorer @ 251.00 / Bet365

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Current form and results

In the international fixture year so far (as of September 2022), Saudi Arabia have only won two games: In the Asian World Cup qualifiers, the team prevailed against Oman and Australia – both with a tight 1-0.

The remaining matches, however, were rather sobering: Against China, it was only enough for a draw, against Japan, the Renard eleven lost 2-0. In June, they also played two friendly matches, which were lost against Colombia and Venezuela with 1-0 each.

This was a bitter disappointment, especially against the Venezuelans, who finished last in the South American World Cup qualifiers.

Saudi Arabia presented itself as minimalistic as ever in the two friendly matches at the end of September. First there was a 0-0 draw against Ecuador, followed by another 0-0 against the United States of America.

In contrast to the previous international matches against Venezuela and Colombia, however, it was pleasing to see that Saudi Arabia conceded significantly less. While the expected goal statistics against the two South American test match opponents were still clearly in favor of the opponents, the USA, for example, could only collect 0.47 xG against the defensively stable Saudis.

The Saudi national team had a slightly more difficult time against Ecuador, but especially in the first half, they had the team from Group A well under control. Since the Saudis will primarily rely on defensive stability, the last few test matches have been quite positive.

The negative side note is that although Saudi Arabia have conceded only two goals in their last four matches, they have scored only one themselves. And in the difficult group with Argentina, Mexico and Poland, they will probably not be able to rely solely on always being able to keep a 0-0 score.

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Fun fact: In the last 30 years, the Saudi Arabian national team has been coached by a total of 40 different coaches. Among others, internationally renowned coaches such as Carlos Alberto Parreira, Frank Rijkaard or Bert van Marwijk.

Frenchman Hervé Renard has now been team manager of Saudi Arabia since September 2019, making him the longest-serving coach since Mario Zagallo 38 years ago.

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Further preparation and test matches

Saudi Arabia have already confirmed numerous friendly matches to prepare for the 2022 World Cup. Some of them could be highly interesting, for example the last game before the start of the tournament against Croatia.

26/10/2022: Saudi Arabia – Albania
30/10/2022: Saudi Arabia – Honduras
06/11/2022: Iceland – Saudi Arabia
16/11/2022: Croatia – Saudi Arabia

The rest of Saudi Arabia’s program looks well-balanced. In the next two games against Albania and Honduras, they will certainly be looking to score again.

Against Iceland and especially against Croatia, they will then focus again on fine-tuning their defensive tactics.

Saudi Arabia international games in 2022

Date	Opponent	Venue	Result	XG	Possession	Accuracy	Duels won
27/01/2022	Oman	H	1 – 0	1.22 : 0.91	55,82%	80,18%	59,17%
01/02/2022	Japan	A	0 – 2	0.15 : 1.12	60.36%	83,39%	43,59%
24/03/2022	China	A	1 – 1	2.47 : 0.85	71,81%	89,80%	51,08%
29/03/2022	Australia	H	1 – 0	1.58 : 0.87	54,87%	88,33%	45,31%
05/06/2022	Colombia	N	0 – 1	0.50 : 1.76	49,23%	87,23%	45,91%
09/06/2022	Venezuela	N	0 – 1	0.34 : 2.22	55,75%	82,08%	45,28%
23/09/2022	Ecuador	N	0 : 0	0.75 : 0.85	43,21%	76,41%	49,04%
27/09/2022	USA	H	0 : 0	0.71 : 0.47	43,91%	83,05%	48,86%
26/10/2022	Albania	H
30/10/2022	Honduras	H
06/11/2022	Iceland	A
16/11/2022	Croatia	A

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Saudi Arabia match schedule at the 2022 World Cup

Already on the first matchday of the tournament, the team from Saudi Arabia meets with the toughest opponent: Argentina is waiting for the opener and it can be assumed that the Saudis will approach this game very defensively in order not to run into the open knife.

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On the second matchday of Group C, Saudi Arabia will face Poland, and on the final matchday, they will take on Mexico, the only group opponent that does not have a world-class footballer in its ranks.

Date	Time (local)	Group	Stadium	Match	Result
Nov. 22	1 p.m.	C	Lusail	Argentina – Saudi Arabia
Nov. 26	4 p.m.	C	Education City	Poland – Saudi Arabia
Nov. 30	10 p.m.	C	Lusail	Saudi Arabia – Mexico

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Saudi Arabia’s World Cup squad

Without one player playing abroad – because a move out of Saudi Arabia is only allowed under special circumstances – Saudi Arabia will come to Qatar for the 2022 World Cup.

We take a detailed look at the individual team parts and venture a Saudi Arabia team analysis ahead of the World Cup finals “on their doorstep”.

Saudi Arabia Goalkeeper

Mohammed Al-Owais will be the most experienced goalkeeper in the squad for the 2022 World Cup. However, this could still prove to be a disadvantage because his competitor Mohammed Al-Rubaie would be the more talented and in-form keeper.

However, the latter is lower in the squad’s hierarchy than Al-Owais.

• GK – Mohammed Al-Rubaie (Al-Ahli Saudi)
• GK – Mohammed Al-Owais (Al-Hilal Saudi)
• GK – Nawaf Al-Aqidi (Al-Nassr)

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Saudi Arabia Center Backs

Saudi Arabia hardly has any experienced players in the central defense. Only one of the possible starters – Ali Al-Boleahi – has played more than 15 international matches so far. Physically, Saudi Arabia’s central defenders are also clearly inferior to their group rivals.

The average height of the central defenders in the squad is only 180cm (5’ 9’’), making them vulnerable in the air.

The build-up play is also not at general World Cup level. The Saudis like to build up their game via the full-back positions or try it directly with wide balls behind the – mostly high standing – opponent’s defensive line.

• CB – Abdulelah Al-Amri (Al-Nassr)
• CB – Hassan Tambakti (Al-Shabab)
• CB – Ali Al-Boleahi (Al-Hilal Saudi)
• CB – Abdullah Madu (Al-Nassr)

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Saudi Arabia Outside Backs

Saudi Arabia probably has the best players in the squad in the full-back positions. Left-footer Yasser Al-Shahrani stands out in particular, as he brings plenty of experience to the tournament, is a strong runner, and also plays an important role in the build-up to the game.

On the right side of defense, coach Hervé Renard is spoilt for choice: Al-Ghannam and Al-Burayk have what it takes to become key players in the team.

Of course, it is also conceivable that Saudi Arabia will field both against stronger opponents and move one of them further forward in order to be more defensively stable at the back.

While the defense will generally have problems against the strong attacking lines of the group opponents, this part of the team could also be significantly weaker!

• RB – Sultan Al-Ghannam (Al-Nassr)
• RB – Mohammed Al-Burayk (Al-Hilal Saudi)
• RB – Saud Abdulhamid (Al-Hilal Saudi)

• LB – Yasser Al-Shahrani (Al-Hilal Saudi)

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Saudi Arabia Central Midfield

Saudi Arabia’s central midfield is definitely well mixed. There are several left-footers and, on the one hand, strong technicians, such as playmaker Sami Al-Najei, and, on the other hand, physically strong players with great stamina, such as the 192cm (6’3’’) tall Mohamed Kanno, who holds the center together with his fighting abilities.

In the center of midfield, there are definitely some nations, also clearly considered underdogs, that are even weaker than Saudi Arabia.

• DM – Nasser Al-Dawsari (Al-Hilal Saudi)
• DM – Ali Al-Hassan (Al-Nassr)
• DM – Abdullah Otayf (Al-Hilal Saudi)

• CM – Mohamed Kanno (Al-Hilal Saudi)
• CM – Salman Al-Faraj (Al-Hilal Saudi)
• CM – Abdulelah Al-Malki (Al-Hilal Saudi)

• CAM – Sami Al-Najei (Al-Nassr)
• CAM– Nawaf Al-Abed (Al Shabab)

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Saudi Arabia Attack

The Saudi attacking line is again a weak point of the squad. Hardly any player who appears in the squad list is an indispensible first team regular at his club. One exception is veteran left winger Salem Al-Dawsari, who will also be a target player in the Saudi Arabian team.

He is the most experienced attacking player in the squad and is one of the few players who could really make a difference.

• RW – Abdulaziz Al-Bishi (Al-Ittihad Jeddah)
• RW – Abdulrahman Al-Obood (Al-Ittihad Jeddah)
• RW – Hattan Bahebri (Al-Shabab)
  
• LW – Salem Al-Dawsari (Al-Hilal Saudi)

• ST – Firas al-Buraikan (Al-Fateh)
• ST – Haitham Asiri (Al Ahli)
• ST – Saleh Al-Shehri (Al-Hilal Saudi)

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Saudi Arabia Competition Flair

The only time Saudi Arabia managed to surprise was on their tournament debut in 1994 in the USA, where they even made it to the round of 16. After that, there was only one win in four group stages (2018 against Egypt) and an early exit in each case.

Saudi Arabia is not known as a team with a remarkable competition flair, but they have a big advantage over manAy other teams:

The Saudis are used to the desert climate in their neighboring country Qatar and will have no problems with the dry air.

This could well give the underdogs some positive momentum, although the difference in quality between them and their group opponents will of course still be decisive.

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Saudi Arabia’s World Cup history

In 1994 in the USA, Saudi Arabia took part in a World Cup for the first time – and the glaring underdog was able to immediately convince and win the audience on its side. In their first game, they narrowly lost 2-1 to the Netherlands, but in their second game, they scored a 2-1 win over Morocco.

In the decisive game of the group, the team sensationally won 1-0 against Belgium, with Saeed Al-Uwairan making the entire Belgian defense look old with his solo run.

Saeed Al-Uwairan’s solo goal was one of the most spectacular goals in the entire World Cup history.

It was not until the round of 16 that they were beaten quite clearly by the then strong Swedish team. The 3-1 defeat meant the end of a successful World Cup, but Saudi Arabia flew home with their heads held high.

In the following three tournaments, Saudi Arabia always was knocked out after the group stage and took only two points in nine matches. The 8-0 defeat by Germany at the 2002 World Cup was the highest World Cup defeat for the Saudis and also Germany’s biggest World Cup win.

In 2010 and 2014, Saudi Arabia failed to qualify. It wasn’t until 2018 that the country was back in the mix, first losing to Russia and Uruguay, but then scoring a prestigious win against Egypt, although it wasn’t enough to advance to the round of 16.

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FAQ – Questions and answers about Saudi Arabia at the 2022 World Cup