Green and Mexico… a friendly with an “English” flavor that renews the memory of the World Cup match
The Saudi national football team is preparing for an international friendly match against its Mexican counterpart next September, at Newcastle United Stadium (St. James Park), located in northeastern England.
According to the “Chronicle Live” website, the Saudi national team, which drew attention against Argentina in the first confrontation between the two teams in the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, will be present in the stadium for a training camp from September 4 to September 11 for its preparatory matches for the Asian Cup scheduled for January in Qatar. ) next.
According to ESPN, the Mexican and Saudi Football Associations are in talks to hold the friendly match on September 7 at St James’ Stadium in Newcastle, as it fits with the Saudi national team’s preparatory schedule for the Asian Football Cup, which will be held in Qatar between January 12. and February 10th.
The Football Association will give the green light to this international tour, as this has not been a problem for other clubs in the past.
For example, the FA had previously given Arsenal the green light 8 times to host Brazil matches at the Emirates Stadium between 2006 and 2018.
St James’ Park has not hosted any international activity since the 2012 Olympic Games, when 6 matches were played in Tyneside. Before that, England played in 3 international matches in front of Newcastle fans between 2001 and 2005, when the “Wembley” stadium was under development.
England ended up playing pre-Euro 2020 friendlies at Middlesbrough FC two years ago, with Tyneside fans missing the match.
The Saudi national football team bid farewell to the World Cup “Qatar 2022” after losing to its Mexican counterpart, 1-2, in the match that took place at “Lusail Stadium” in the third round of the group stage. At that time, both teams were eliminated from the group stage. Argentina qualified as leaders of Group C with six points after defeating Poland 2-0 at the same time, and Salem Al-Dosari’s goal confirmed Mexico’s exit, one goal behind fellow striker Robert Lewandowski, after being equal by four points each.
On the other hand, informed sources revealed to Asharq Al-Awsat that the file of the new coach for Al-Akhdar will most likely be decided during the next week.
And Yasser Al-Mishal, President of the Saudi Football Association, revealed earlier that many files had been studied for the new technical director who will succeed French Hervé Renard in training the Saudi national team, indicating that the announcement will be made during the month of June.
Al-Mishal said, “Most likely, the new technical director will not be a Saudi.”
And at the beginning of this month, the former coach of the Greens, Hervé Renard, the current coach of the French women’s national team, said: “Giving up training the Saudi national team was a very difficult decision.”
Renard gave a lengthy interview to the French channel “Canal Plus”, in which he revealed many details of his recent weeks with Al-Akhdar, who resigned from his training in late March to take over the training of French women in the Women’s World Cup.
Renard said, “I had a contract with the Saudi national team until 2027, and I accepted that my salary would be reduced to one-twentieth of what it was, but in short, money is not all life. It was the big competitions that made me make this decision. I’m getting old, don’t waste time.”
Renard succeeded coach Corinne Deacon, before earning the same salary, estimated at 400,000 euros annually.
Newcastle Stadium, where the friendly match will be held, “Asharq Al-Awsat”
Renard enumerated the major competitions that he fought as a coach, saying that he had the opportunity to participate in 7 different versions of the African Cup of Nations, and won two of them, and he also participated twice in the World Cup, but he is still looking for those feelings that he cannot find anywhere. last.
Therefore, the expected participation in the Women’s World Cup was a strong motivation for Renard, while he should have waited a few years to play a new international tournament with Saudi Arabia, which makes coaching the French women’s team an immediate challenge and stimulus for the French coach.
Renard (54 years old) took over the training of the Saudi national team in July of 2019, and over a period of 3 years and 8 months he found all the support from the Saudi Football Association, according to his statements to the French channel website.
The former Sochaux and Lille coach said: “It was difficult for me to inform Yasser Al-Mishal, President of the Saudi Football Association, of my decision to leave the national team’s training. This person was an exceptional man, and he did everything for me, and it is always difficult to say that to someone who was flawless for 4 years.” Years, sometimes we are thanked for a job, but here I was the one who thanked.
Regarding the increase in professional players in the Saudi League, Renard said: “The number of foreigners in the Saudi League will increase from 7 to 8, but this is not good for the national team.”
In response to a question about Karim Benzema’s transfer to the Saudi Al-Ittihad club, Renard said: “The main reason for facilitating the transfer of France’s first striker, Karim Benzema, to Al-Ittihad is Mecca. The great fandom of the union.
2023-06-30 17:05:40
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