Saudi Arabia kicks off its 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign against Uruguay on June 15, 2026 at Miami Stadium in Miami.
Between the sticks is goalkeeper Mohammed Al-Owais, a regular at the Green Falcons.
Al Owais came into the spotlight during the 2022 World Cup when he put in the performance of his life in the group stage against Argentina.
The keeper made two crucial saves in the dying moments of the second half to prevent an equalizer, handing Lionel Messi and his team a shock defeat. Saudi Arabia was ranked 51st and Argentina was ranked third in the FIFA rankings prior to that match.
In addition to his saves, the Saudi custodian’s off-the-ball movement was also perfect as he occasionally played the role of sweeper-keeper and stepped in to clear long balls from midfield.
Al Owais started his career at Al Shabab and moved to Al Hilal a few months before the 2022 edition. He currently plays for Al-Ula, where he moved last year.
Published on June 16, 2026
