The national football team is aiming for a morale-boosting win and to reconcile with its fans when it faces its Saudi Arabian counterpart at 3:00 PM today at Khalifa International Stadium in Doha. This match is for third and fourth place on the final day of the 2025 Arab Cup. The 'White' team seeks to secure third place and the bronze medal after failing to reach the final following their 3-0 defeat to the Moroccan team in the semi-final. Meanwhile, the Saudi team lost to the Jordanian team by a single goal. This encounter with a strong opponent like the Saudi team, which has qualified for the 2026 World Cup, presents a new opportunity for the technical staff, led by Romanian coach Olaru Cosmin, to work on addressing defensive errors and weaknesses, as well as the offensive shortcomings that have plagued the team, especially in their last match against Morocco. The match holds special significance as it represents a traditional Gulf summit, always characterized by strength, rivalry, and excitement due to the long history of official and friendly encounters between the two teams. The last official meeting between them ended in a 0-0 draw on December 25, 2017, during the group stage of the Gulf Cup 'Gulf 23' held in Kuwait. It is expected that the national team's technical staff will make some minor changes to the starting lineup based on the physical condition and health of the players and their readiness, given the fatigue some players are experiencing due to the packed schedule and lack of sufficient rest since the tournament began, as well as the fact that several players have sustained varying injuries, which could make their inclusion a calculated risk. Cosmin will rely on several aces in the team's lineup, provided they reach the required physical and technical condition, most notably Nicolas Giménez, Caio Lucas, Bruno Oliveira, and Yahya Al-Ghannam. In contrast, the Saudi team is aiming to win, secure third place and the bronze medal, and reconcile with its fans after failing to compete for the title in preparation for the 2026 World Cup finals. The Saudi 'Green' team, led by their French coach Hervé Renard, includes a group of distinguished players who led the team to qualify for the 2026 World Cup, among them Mohammed Kanno, Saleh Al-Shehri, Feras Al-Burikan, and Salem Al-Dawsari.
