Saudis turn World Cup on
Overjoyed fans erupted in celebration around the Arab world after Saudi Arabia’s shocking World Cup win over Argentina.
From Syria and Jordan to Gaza and Qatar — host of this year’s World Cup — fans basked in Saudi Arabia’s achievement, one of the biggest upsets in the tournament’s history.
Immediately after their team’s 2-1 come-from-behind victory, Saudi fans who witnessed the match in person flooded the streets outside Lusail Stadium waving their country’s green and white flags while chanting and singing – and even hugging distraught Argentina fans.
‘‘I’m speechless,’’ Saudi Arabia fan Sultan Alharthi said. ‘‘I can’t even explain how much happy I am, because I didn’t expect we will win.
Qatar’s ruling emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, attended the match, and at one point wrapped a Saudi flag over his shoulders. The moment, captured in online video and widely shared, would have been unthinkable nearly two years ago when Saudi Arabia and three other Arab nations boycotted Qatar over a political dispute.
In northwestern Syria, the wartorn country’s rebel stronghold, residents gathered at cafes cheered and celebrated after the final whistle. It was a pleasant change for the enclave, where millions suffer from frequent airstrikes and poverty.
In the city of Idlib, Ahmad AlAbsi said Saudi Arabia’s victory was a much needed morale boost for Syrians and Arabs across the Middle East, even if it meant seeing his favourite football team lose.
‘‘It shows that we have talented people who can achieve things on a global stage,’’ Al-Absi, an Argentina fan, said. ‘‘We’re dreaming of better futures as Arabs, and this morale boosts reminds us that nothing is impossible.’’
In the streets of Amman, Jordan, dozens of Saudi nationals and Jordanians celebrated in the streets, carrying Saudi flags or placing them on their cars and blaring their horns.
In Gaza, Palestinian residents
Australia went ahead when Craig Goodwin scored, and they largely bossed Les Bleus for the initial 25 minutes yesterday
But the Socceroos were then swamped by wave after ominous blue wave as France scored four goals in a 45-minute burst nearing
rejoiced, saying they stood with Saudi Arabia in its moment of football glory. ‘‘They stand with us politically and socially, so these celebrations are sort of reciprocation,’’ bigger and faster and stronger than us.’’
Goodwin’s ninth-minute strike came from a superbly executed blueprint: a swift counter-attack from defence, to the flank, to the net.
Australia nearly went 2-0 up in
said Gaza resident Abu Khalil.
In Saudi Arabia, King Salman announced a snap public holiday for all workers and students in the turned into a tidal wave to France when Adrien Rabiot and stalwart Olivier Giroud scored twice in a five-minute span.
Giroud put the two-time winners in front after a blunder from Australian rightback Nathaniel Atkinson, who
kingdom in celebration of the win.
People watching the match at a fan zone in the capital, Riyadh, jumped with joy and cheered as the game ended. Drivers honked their
The 23-year-old’s dream of playing at a World Cup turned into a nightmare, toyed with by France megastar Kylian Mbappe.
‘‘There’s a a reason why he’s earning $200 million a year and I am where I am,’’ said the Scotlandbased Atkinson.
horns in celebration. Saudi authorities also allowed free entry to a state-sponsored sports and entertainment festival.
The gravity of the victory will