Who got the nod from head coach Herve Renard as Saudi Arabia prepare for 2022 World Cup?
Saudi Arabia will be making their sixth appearance at the World Cup in Qatar.
They first made it to the finals of the tournament in 1994 and made an instant impact as they reached the round of 16 on their debut.
Can the Green Falcons do even better in Qatar?
Well, coach Herve Renard would definitely want to, but he will be well aware of the threat posed by other nations in their pool.
Saudi Arabia have been drawn in Group C along with Argentina, Mexico and Poland.
Not the easiest of groups, but Renard would hope that his troops can cause a couple of upsets and make it to the knockout stages.
Here are the 26 players who will make the trip to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
ALSO READ: World Cup 2022 Group C: Fixtures, results, standings, squads & full details
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GOALKEEPERS
Mohammed Al-Owais is the undisputed No.1 for Renard between the sticks. The 30-year-old played a crucial role in Saudi Arabia's World Cup qualification campaign and has started in every international fixture in 2022.
Mohammed Al Rubiae of Al-Ahli and Fawaz Al-Qarni are likely to be the second and third-choice keepers. Al-Rubaie, 25, has been impressive in the domestic league for Al-Ahli and is a solid option on the bench.
Nawaf Al-Aqidi is another option between the sticks.
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Name
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Club
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Mohammed Al Rubaie
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Al-Ahli
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Mohammed Al-Owais
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Al-Hilal
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Nawaf Al-Aqidi
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Al-Nassr
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DEFENDERS
Renard has tried plenty of combinations in the last year to find the right balance in defence.
Ali Al-Bulaihi has been the most-used centre back, whereas others like Abdulelah Al-Amri, Ziyad Al-Sahafi, and Hassan Tambakti have been used in rotation.
Sultan Al-Ghanam and Saud Abdulhamid are the two preferred choices at right-back, while Yasser Al-Shahrani and Nasser Al-Dawsari have been mostly deployed at the left-back position.
Yasser Al-Shahrani is one of the most experienced defenders in the Saudi-Arabian back-line and his presence in Qatar will be vital to keep a check on fiercely offensive opponents like Argentina and Poland.
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Name
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Club
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Sultan Al-Ghanam
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Al-Nassr
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Abdullah Madu
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Al-Nassr
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Abdulelah Al-Amri
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Al-Nassr
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Ali Al-Bulaihi
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Al-Hilal
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Saud Abdulhamid
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Al-Ittihad
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Yasser Al-Shahrani
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Al-Hilal
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Hassan Tambakti
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Al-Shabab
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Mohammed Al-Breik
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Al-Hilal
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MIDFIELDERS
Salman Al Faraj and Abdullah Otayf are mostly used as the two defensive midfielders. They play together for Al-Hilal, which benefits their understanding at the centre of the park.
Salem Al-Dawsari must be one of the first names on the team sheet as he has been sublime for Saudi Arabia on the left wing.
Hattan Bahebri is another experienced candidate who is usually deployed as an attacking midfielder. The 30-year-old plies his trade with Al-Shabab and is a regular for them.
Fahad Al-Muwallad, meanwhile, was initially included in the team but was dropped as a precaution as he failed a doping test in February and the case is still going on. Instead, Nawaf al-Abed was called up in his place.
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Name
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Club
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Salman Al-Faraj
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Al-Hilal
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Salem Al-Dawsari
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Al-Hilal
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Ali Al-Hassan
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Al-Nassr
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Sami Al-Najei
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Al-Nassr
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Nawaf Al-Abed
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Al-Shabab
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Nasser Al-Dawsari
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Al-Hilal
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Riyadh Sharahili
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Abha
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Hattan Bahebri
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Al-Shabab
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Mohamed Kanno
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Al-Hilal
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Abdullah Otayf
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Al-Hilal
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Abdulrahman Al-Aboud
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Al-Ittihad
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ATTACKERS
Firas Al-Buraikan should be the first choice to lead the lines. The Al-Fateh striker has been hitting the right chords at club level and will be eager to replicate his performances in the World Cup.
Saleh Al-Shehri was at his prolific best during the qualification stage as he scored seven goals in 13 appearances. He is expected to provide stiff competition to Al-Buraikan.
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Name
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Club
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Firas Al-Buraikan
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Al-Fateh
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Haitham Asiri
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Al-Ahli
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Saleh Al-Shehri
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Al-Hilal
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