The Saudi youth national team camp kicks off in Al-Ahsa
The training camp for the Saudi national under-20 football team has begun in Al-Ahsa Governorate, as part of the comprehensive preparation program for the qualifiers for the AFC U-20 Asian Cup scheduled for 2027. This camp comes as a first and crucial step in building a new generation of footballers capable of continuing the achievements that Saudi football has made at the continental and international levels.
Historical legacy and strategic importance
Historically, the Saudi youth national team has a rich record of championships and achievements in the Asian continent, as the "Young Green" has previously won the AFC Youth Championship title on several historic occasions, the most prominent of which in the modern era was the 2018 edition. This footballing legacy places a great responsibility on the shoulders of the current generation and the technical staff to maintain the Kingdom's position as a leading footballing force in Asia, and to ensure continuous qualification for the FIFA U-20 World Cup, which is considered the launching pad for stars towards global success.
At the local and regional levels, the importance of this training camp lies in its alignment with the goals of Saudi Vision 2030 in the sports sector, which aims to cultivate sporting champions and develop young talent to provide the national team with its future core players. Furthermore, early preparation gives the players an opportunity to gel and acquire the tactical experience necessary to compete against different footballing styles.
Details of the training sessions led by Bernas
On the field, the Saudi national team players conducted intensive training sessions under the supervision of Spanish head coach Sergio Bernas and his assistant staff. At the beginning of the training camp, the coaching staff focused on physical conditioning to improve the players' fitness levels before moving on to various tactical drills aimed at enhancing ball possession, speed of ball movement, and tight defensive organization.
List of players called up
The squad called up for the camp included 28 players representing an elite group of rising talents in Saudi clubs, namely: Fahad Al-Harbi, Abdullah Al-Muhaysin, Abdulrahman Al-Otaibi, Wissam Al-Milbi, Adham Nasr, Abdulrahman Hassan Sufyani, Awaji Alwani, Muayyad Yousef, Tamim Al-Shuqairan, Abdul-Ilah Al-Quwaizan, Fawaz Al-Mashhour, Saeed Al-Dosari, Elias Sheikh, Talal Harthi, Mohammed Fallatah, Khaled Al-Lahyan, Ahmed Bin Humaid, Ali Al-Yousef, Mohammed Al-Qahtani, Basil Al-Abadi, Muhannad Al-Qadib, Fahad Al-Shammari, Suhaib Al-Hawasawi, Nawaf Al-Dosari, Abdulrahman Mohammed Sufyani, Abdulrazzaq Awaji, Fares Bin Salem, and Luay Al-Obaidi.
The anticipated friendly match
The Saudi youth national team continues its daily training sessions in preparation for the important friendly match against Qatar next Friday evening. This Gulf encounter is considered an ideal opportunity for coach Bernas to assess the players' levels and test tactical plans in a truly competitive environment, which will contribute to determining the ideal squad that will represent the Kingdom in upcoming continental competitions.
