Saudi Arabia's head coach Donis says he will do everything he can to win the first match against Uruguay.

On Monday, ahead of the first round of Group H matches in the 2026 World Cup, Saudi Arabia's head coach Georgios Donis made a bold statement at a press conference at Miami Stadium, saying that the Saudi team would not play passively in the opening match against South American powerhouse Uruguay, and that the team's only goal was to win.

With European champions Spain and Cape Verde also in the same group, it is widely believed that Saudi Arabia should focus on a draw in their first match in order to advance as one of the best third-placed teams in the group.

However, Donis firmly rejected this conservative approach, emphasizing that it contradicted his coaching philosophy. He stated, "We are ready to put pressure on our opponents, play organized defense, launch counter-attacks, and create opportunities. We will never accept a passive defensive role, simply waiting for the opponent to react; we will play with confidence."

Saudi Arabia has a glorious history of defeating strong teams like Argentina in the World Cup. Donis believes that the Saudi Premier League's recent acquisition of top international stars like Cristiano Ronaldo and Benzema has given the current Saudi national team players a psychological advantage when facing Uruguay.

Donis explained, "Our players are used to training with or playing against these great stars in the league. They respect their opponents, but this kind of situation is nothing new to them."

Despite having less than seven weeks of rushed preparation time after taking over from his predecessor Hervé Renard, Donis is confident in the team's cohesion and tactical execution, and expects the Saudi team to demonstrate strong core competitiveness in their first match.

Image source: Internet/ESPN official website