[71690] The Saudi squad storm ahead of the World Cup: Criticism and ridicule on social media

Storm online over the Saudi national team roster for the World Cup

The publication of the Saudi national team's player list for the World Cup on May 22, 2026, sparked sharp reactions and derision from fans and influencers on social media. The reports, which came from several key accounts, focus on the mix of selected players, and especially on the identity of the goalkeepers.

Criticism of the goalkeeper position

The account Siiros2 published the list of candidate goalkeepers, which includes Mohammed Al-Owais, Nawaf Al-Aqidi, Ahmed Al-Kassar, Abdulquddus Atiah, and Abdulrahman Al-Sanbi. The selection of goalkeeper Abdulquddus Atiah drew public ridicule from Siiros2, who attached laughing emojis. The criticism also extended to the account Ru8enN_, which noted with irony that "Five goalkeepers? Are we guarding the US border or what?", while echoing the ridicule toward Atiah.

Allegations regarding the player squad

At the same time, accounts identified with sports coverage such as hilalstuff and ChxhHfjdj reported on the full player squad, which includes stars like Salem Al-Dawsari and Mohamed Kanno. However, hilalstuff raised questions regarding the inclusion of players such as Kadesh, Al-Khaibari, Boushal, Yahya, Marwan, Al-Sanbi, and Mukhtar.

In an additional report by hilalstuff, the surprising call-up of Sultan Mandash to the World Cup squad was reported, a move that received a reaction combining shock ("😨") and green emojis, with the reporter claiming that the player "deserves it." As of now, the Saudi public on social media is reacting with notable dissatisfaction to the professional choices that were published.