​Saudi Arabia national football team coach Herve Renard congratulated his players after beating Argentina 2-1 in a match in which the “stars aligned” to defeat one of the favorites for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

Herve RenardPhoto: AA/ABACA / Abaca Press / Profimedia

>> A huge surprise at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar: the two-time world champion lost to Saudi Arabia in the opening match

Herve Renard, Saudi Arabia coach, and huge win over Argentina: ‘The stars aligned’

“Today the stars aligned. Argentina continue to be a fantastic team, coming off a 36-match unbeaten run, Copa America winners, with a spectacular player, but in football sometimes unexpected things happen.” – Herve Renard.

“I would like to congratulate these extraordinary players. I congratulate them on three years. (…) Even when we visited the prince, he did not pressure us. When the pressure is excessive, everything does not work,” said the French technician.

“Tactically, we did not play well in the first half, but the pressure on the central defenders and Leandro Paredes was not enough. In the first minute, our goalkeeper already made a save, and then saved several goal-scoring phases.

I thought that if they scored again, the match would be decided, so I was not happy at half-time. We cannot play like we did in the first half. We are satisfied, but we still have two matches.

Everything can happen in football. The first game may lack motivation. That’s what people don’t understand. Messi is playing against Saudi Arabia… lack of motivation is normal. It was a success and a historic day for the country, but there are still matches,” concluded Renard, quoted by Agerpres.

Images the day after Argentina were knocked out by Saudi Arabia at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar

Know:

  • Lionel Messi became the first Argentinian player to score in 4 World Cup finals (2006, 2014, 2018, 2022). Thus, the PSG star surpasses Gabriel Batistuta (1994, 1998, 2002) and Diego Maradona (1982, 1986, 1994).
  • The last time Argentina lost their opening match at a FIFA World Cup was in the 1990 World Cup, when the Cougars lost to Cameroon (0-1 at the San Siro).
  • The last time Argentina lost was in the semifinals of the Copa America 2019 (July 3), when they were beaten by Brazil (0:2). Then there were 36 matches without defeat.
  • Argentina won the World Cup title twice, in 1978 and 1986.

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