- Sauid's most experienced player set to lead the team out in Russia
- 'We are all together,' says Al-Hilal defender
LONDON: Osama Hawsawi said it is an 鈥渉onor鈥� to be leading 抖阴短视频 at the World Cup and believes the players are acutely aware that 鈥渢he entire world鈥� will be watching them in the opening game against hosts Russia.
Juan Antonio Pizzi, the Saudi coach, still has five names to cut from his squad by June 4 and one or two positions in the team to decide on, but one thing for sure is that Hawsawi will captain the side. The 34-year-old has a wealth of experience, winning more than 100 caps and he comes into the tournament on the back of winning the Saudi Pro League with Al-Hilal. He will skipper the side from the heart of the defense.
鈥淚t is an honor for me to be the captain of the team, the team of a great country like 抖阴短视频,鈥� he said in an video interview with the federation鈥檚 Twitter account. 鈥淚t is a big responsibility, along with my teammates; we are all together in this but there has to be a captain representing the team. This means a lot to me, especially that we are participating in a big event like the World Cup.鈥�
The Green Falcons will kick off the tournament against Russia at the Luzhniki Stadium on June 14. Around 290 million people watched the opening game of the last World Cup between Brazil and Croatia so Pizzi鈥檚 squad can expect a level of scrutiny they have not encountered before.
鈥淭he entire world will be watching and we will be playing the inauguration game, which is the most watched,鈥� said Hawsawi. 鈥淭his is a very beautiful feeling and hopefully we will not deceive our Saudi fans and the management.鈥�
Ali Al-Bulayhi, a defensive teammate of Hawsawi at Al-Hilal, is less sure of his place in the final squad as he faces a battle with Saeed Al-Muwallad, Mohammed Al-Burayk and Mohammed Jahfali to secure his spot on the plane to Russia. Al-Bulayhi, though, is already allowing himself to dream of being involved.
鈥淢y message is that we will hopefully play good games and succeed,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e have always dreamt about reaching the World Cup. We should leave a footprint. We hope to see Saudi people rallying around us in the World Cup. I ask them to pray for us, and we will give everything we have.鈥�
Al-Bulayhi will hope to get his chance to impress in Sunday鈥檚 friendly against Peru in St.Gallen as the final squad is named the next day.