Saudi Arabia coach Georgios Donis has expressed his determination to replicate the national team's stunning 2022 World Cup victory over Argentina when they face Spain, emphasizing the need to balance respect with assertive play.
Donis, who took charge of the 2034 World Cup hosts in April, believes his squad must avoid showing Spain excessive deference. He hopes to draw inspiration from the historic triumph over Lionel Messi's Argentina, orchestrated by his predecessor Herve Renard, as they prepare for their upcoming match in Atlanta.
“It's nice to have miracles in football and we've seen it many times. We've seen it in the World Cup, we've seen it in other tournaments, we've seen favourites losing against underdogs,” Donis stated during his pre-match press conference. “It's great to have great memories in our national team such as the game against Argentina.”
Spain enters the fixture under pressure following a goalless draw against Cape Verde, a debutant in the World Cup. Saudi Arabia, however, also drew their opening game, holding Uruguay to a 1-1 stalemate. Donis acknowledged the challenge of facing one of the world's top teams, stressing the importance of enjoying such high-caliber contests while maintaining strategic respect.
The coach identified Barcelona winger Lamine Yamal as a pivotal figure for Spain. Yamal, who returned from a hamstring injury as a second-half substitute against Cape Verde, is expected to start despite not yet being match-fit for a full 90 minutes. Donis lauded the 18-year-old as potentially the greatest talent in world football currently, noting Spain's diminished effectiveness in his absence.
“Spain is not the same team when Yamal is on the bench,” Donis remarked. “I think Yamal is maybe this period the biggest talent in the world. I think he started to replace Messi in Barcelona in the best way. I didn't see a player at this age to make this difference and to have this quality and to play with this maturity. For me the most important is not about the skills, but about the maturity and he knows what he can do every moment and that is the biggest difference.”
