Italian coach Luigi Di Biagio, manager of the Saudi Arabia U-23 national team, is putting the final touches on the squad for the upcoming match against Kyrgyzstan. The game is scheduled for tomorrow evening, Tuesday, at 7:00 PM, at Prince Abdullah Al Faisal Stadium in Jeddah, as part of the first round of the 2026 AFC U-23 Championship.
Final preparations and tactical approach
The Saudi national team's coaching staff will hold a final training session this evening (Monday), which will serve as the final test to determine the starting lineup that coach Di Biagio will rely on. During this session, the Italian coach will focus on implementing tactical plays and ensuring the players understand the required approach to unlock the Kyrgyzstani defense. Luigi has urged his players to maintain high concentration and exert maximum effort to guarantee a strong start to the tournament.
The list of the Olympic Green team and promising names
The training camps for the Saudi Olympic team witnessed high discipline and the presence of 23 players representing the elite rising talents in Saudi football. The squad that will compete in the tournament includes the following names: Hamed Yousef, Turki Baljosh, Muhannad Al-Yahya, Mohammed Abdulrahman, Awad Dahal, Sulaiman Hazazi, Mohammed Al-Dossari, Khaled Al-Asiri, Abdulrahman Al-Obaid, Mohammed Barnawi, Salem Al-Najdi, Yassin Al-Zubaidi, Abdulmalik Al-Jaber, Musab Al-Juwair, Fares Al-Ghamdi, Faisal Al-Subiani, Rakan Al-Ghamdi, Hammam Al-Hamami, Abdulaziz Al-Aliwa, Abdulrahman Sufyani, Majed Abdullah, Thamer Al-Khaibri, and Abdullah Radif.
The importance of the tournament and the historical context
This tournament is of paramount importance to Saudi football, as the "Green Falcons" seek to maintain their continental achievements in the youth categories, especially after the historic achievement of winning the AFC U-23 Championship in the 2022 edition. This age group is considered the main feeder for the first team, which makes the eyes turn towards these young stars to be the future backbone of Saudi football in upcoming international events.
The Kingdom's hosting of its group matches is part of the significant sporting activity taking place in the country, giving the players an extra morale boost thanks to home advantage and the support of their fans. The match against Kyrgyzstan is the first step in the journey towards the continental title, as the Saudi national team finds itself in a tough Group A alongside Jordan, Vietnam, and Kyrgyzstan, requiring caution and focus from the very first minute to secure qualification for the knockout stages.
