Saudi Arabia midfielder Abdulellah Al-Malki has said the half-time team talk of their “crazy” manager Herve Renard inspired them to “want to eat the grass” and fight back to beat Argentina.
Saudi Arabia pulled off one of the biggest shocks in World Cup history as they came from behind to beat Lionel Messi’s Argentina in Lusail on Tuesday.
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Messi, 35, had appeared to put Argentina on course for a routine victory when he opened the scoring from the penalty spot in the opening half, before his side had three goals ruled out for offside.
But Saudi Arabia made an incredible start to the second half, with Saleh Al-Shehri levelling the score and Salem Al-Dawsari striking to secure a famous win.
And, after the game, Al-Malki credited Renard for Saudi Arabia’s victory. Speaking to Alkass Sports channel, he said: “We have a crazy coach. He motivated us during half-time, telling us stuff that made us want to eat the grass (run themselves into the ground).
“Before the game, in the pre-game talk with the coach, I swear to God I was crying. He motivated us to the extent that we couldn’t wait for the game to begin.”
Renard, whose coaching career includes a spell at Cambridge United in the lower tiers of English football, praised his side for “making history”.
He said: “We made history for Saudi football, it will stay forever. That is the most important thing. But we have to look forward — we have two difficult games for us ahead.”
Renard, a Frenchman, also sought to praise Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for the victory.
“When I decided to coach this team three years ago I found all the support,” Renard said. “We have a great federation president and also the Ministry of Sports.
“When we met with the prince (MBS), he did not put any pressure on us, and this is wonderful. Being pressured does not work often.”
MBS was sat next to FIFA president Gianni Infantino at the opening of the World Cup on Sunday, which has led to criticism of football’s world governing body given the 2018 murder of Jamal Khashoggi, a Saudi journalist and critic of the prince.
US intelligence concluded that MBS had ordered the operation to kill Khashoggi, although the Biden administration last week declared he should be granted immunity in a US legal case over his role in the murder.
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(Photo: Getty Images)