When Saudi first met continental king Argentina on the big stage

While Saudi Arabia and Argentina will meet in their first outing at Qatar 2022, their encounter in the first FIFA Confederations Cup final in 1992 has left a lasting legacy in the kingdom.

For 20 years, the FIFA Confederations Cup brought together continental champions every four years and marked the countdown to the FIFA World Cup. But the roots of the tournament go back even further to a knockout competition for four teams organised by Saudi Arabia in 1992: the King Fahd Cup.

The inaugural edition included hosts Saudi Arabia and three other reigning continental kings: Argentina, Côte d’Ivoire and USA.

Argentina, under the stewardship of Alfio Basile, had just won the Copa America 1991 and had in their ranks a young Gabriel Batistuta.

For their part, Saudi Arabia were the dominant force in Asian football, having won back-to-back AFC Asian Cups in 1984 and 1988. The King Fahd Cup was an opportunity for the Saudis to prepare for that year’s Asian finals, which were scheduled to start nine days after the final of their home tournament.

Argentina’s star-studded squad enjoyed a warm welcome on their arrival in Riyadh. The 23-year-old Batistuta, who was beginning his second season with Fiorentina, wasted no time showcasing his goalscoring skills at King Fahd International Stadium.

‘Batigol’ scored his 11th and 12th international goals in the opening ten minutes of Argentina’s first match against Côte d’Ivoire, before Ricardo Altamirano and Beto Acosta added one apiece after the break to ease La Albiceleste into the final.

Coached by Bora Milutinovic, USA travelled to Saudi Arabia two years before they would host the FIFA World Cup and found the going tough against the hosts and a 70,000-strong crowd. The Stars and Stripes managed to keep the Asian champions at bay for the first half but succumbed to the pressure in the second, when goals from Fahd Al-Harifi, Youssef Al-Thunayan and Khaled Massad put the Saudis into the final.

The atmosphere for the decider at King Fahd Stadium was not dissimilar to that of a World Cup. And even though fans in green and white dominated the stands, there were still cheers when Diego Simeone, who was wearing the legendary No10 shirt made famous by Diego Maradona, set up Leo Rodriguez in the 18th minute for the opening goal from the edge of the box.

When Claudio Caniggia added a second six minutes later, Saudi Arabia feared the worst. Deftly controlling the ball inside the penalty area after a precision pass from the right wing, Caniggia had time to turn and drill a powerful shot past goalkeeper Saud Al-Otaibi from 12 yards. But the Saudis refused to crumble and valiantly repelled the torrent of attacks launched by Basile’s men.

The home side’s resistance was only broken again in the 64th minute after Batistuta’s shot came back off the upright into the path of Simeone, whose close-range shot ricocheted off the underside of the crossbar to the goal-line, before finally going in off the bar at the second time of asking.

Though a relative unknown at the time, the Saudi No7 Saeed Al-Owairan made a name for himself by reducing the deficit with a 30-yard strike that the normally reliable Sergio Goycochea let slip through his fingers.

Although Saudi Arabia would go on to lose 3-1, the King Fahd Cup 1992 left a lasting legacy in the Kingdom, with The Green Falcons participating in the subsequent three editions of the tournament, as hosts in 1995 and 1997, and as Asians champions at Mexico 1999 following their third continental title at UAE 1996.

Although Saudi Arabia would go on to lose 3-1, the King Fahd Cup 1992 left a lasting legacy in the Kingdom, with The Green Falcons participating in the subsequent three editions of the tournament, as hosts in 1995 and 1997, and as Asians champions at Mexico 1999