15/06/2026

SPORTS MONDAY | JUNE 15, 2026 28 A LAVISH spending spree brought star players and attention to Saudi Arabia, but it has not reaped rewards for the national team who arrive at the World Cup desperate to reverse a run of poor results. The oil-rich kingdom pumped around US$2 billion (RM8b) in three years into football, signing Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar and Karim Benzema on huge fees as it sought to turn the Saudi Pro League into one of the world’s best. Saudi Arabia also won hosting rights for the 2034 World Cup, a major boost for its plan to diversify its economy by attracting tourists and business. But the Saudi national team have endured a bumpy ride since they stunned eventual winners Argentina in the group stages at the last World Cup in 2022. The Saudis scraped into the 48-team

2026 WORLD CUP

Saudis in spotlight after RM8b spending spree

continent’s strongest sides, winning three Asian Cups and now entering a seventh World Cup. According to France-based Middle East sports analyst Amro Elserty, their success was built on players hardened in the Saudi league, one of the most com petitive in Asia. “Then the league changed com pletely. Saudi clubs began replacing local players with foreign signings across multiple positions,” Elserty said. “Not just world-class stars, but also older players and imported profession als occupying roles that Saudi players previously developed in. “The result was predictable and Saudi internationals stopped playing regularly.” – AFP

don’t have the same chance (to play) like before. We need the players to play, we need the players to have better rhythm and tempo, it’s very important in foot ball,” Donis said. Although the “Green Falcons” have landed in a tough Group H with Spain, Uruguay and Cape Verde, Donis is not throwing in the towel just yet. The expanded format means eight third-placed sides from the 12 groups will reach the knockouts. “The Saudi players have big talent. They have to continue to work, not to give up, and to show to their coach, ‘I’m here and I deserve a chance’,” he added. “It’s not easy, but we can make the best.” Saudi Arabia is traditionally one of the

event – the biggest World Cup in history – via the playoffs, winning a three-team group involving Indonesia and Iraq on goals scored. A 4-0 thrashing by Egypt and defeat to Serbia in March spelled doom for French coach Herve Renard, ending his second spell after replacing ex-Italy boss Roberto Mancini. Greece’s Georgios Donis, brought in just two months before the World Cup, said the influx of star names from Europe had limited the playing time of local players. “The Saudi players are learning a lot from very good, experienced players, especially from Europe, that is very posi tive,” he told AFP . “On the other hand, Saudi players

Tiki-taka 2.0 De la Fuente’s modern version could lead La Roja to another World Cup T HE very nature of the World Cup means any winner will be remembered among football’s great teams, but only a select few transcend results and leave crosses and quick transitions. The biggest change is out wide. Where Andres Iniesta and David Silva once drifted inside, Spain now possess explosive wingers in

Spain are favourites, says Grimaldo ALEX GRIMALDO believes Spain can emulate their Golden Generation by winning the World Cup two years after being crowned European champions. The Bayer Leverkusen leftback was part of the squad that dazzled in Germany in 2024, beating the hosts and richly talented France and England sides to win the trophy. But La Roja have not won a World Cup knockout game since Andres Iniesta’s winning goal in the 2010 final. An ageing squad, who had won the Euros in 2008 and 2012, crashed out in the group stage at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil and failed to get past the last 16 in Russia and Qatar. However, blessed with the prodigious talent of Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal, the European champions arrive in the United States in top form. Excluding penalties, Luis de la Fuente’s side are unbeaten in 31 competitive games stretching back to March 2023. Spain will face tournament debutants Cape Verde today (12mn), Saudi Arabia and Uruguay in Group H. “I see us as favourites,” a confident Grimaldo told AFP ahead of his first World Cup. “The stats are things of the past. We have to concen trate on the day-to-day and go into the first game against Cape Verde as well-prepared as possible. “The team is full of confidence and very motivated. We are desperate to do a good job because we have the team to do so.” A set piece specialist, Grimaldo came through the ranks of Barcelona’s fabled La Masia academy but was forced to move to Portuguese giants Benfica to find regular football. After seven seasons in Lisbon, his move to Leverkusen propelled him into the national team for the first time in 2023. Grimaldo was one of the stars as Leverkusen won the Bundesliga for the first time and com pleted a league and cup double under Xabi Alonso in the 2023/24 campaign. In three seasons in Germany, the 30-year-old has scored 30 goals and provided 45 assists from leftback.

Nico Williams and Yamal. Their pace and directness stretch opponents, creating space for teammates and allowing full-backs to join attacks from deeper positions. Rodri summed up the transfor mation before Euro 2024, say

a lasting mark on the sport itself. For many, Brazil’s 1970 side remains the benchmark. For others, it is Spain’s golden generation, which dominated international football between 2008 and 2012 and culmi nated in World Cup glory in South Africa. That Spain team made tiki-taka the defining style of an era. Yet despite its success, every subsequent Spain side struggled to replicate the formula. Their title defence collapsed in 2014, while Luis Enrique’s attempt to revive the philosophy ended in disappointment at the 2022 World Cup. It was not until Euro 2024 that Spain found the right balance again. Under coach Luis de la Fuente, La Roja claimed a third European Championship, blending the core principles of tiki-taka with a more modern and direct approach. Spain were not among the pre-tournament favourites, but De la Fuente had quietly built a team capable of controlling games while also attacking with greater speed and purpose. That success, coupled with a strong run of results since, has established Spain as one of the lead ing contenders for the 2026 World Cup. While stars such as Lamine Yamal, Rodri and Pedri will be central to Spain’s hopes, De la Fuente’s tactical evolution could prove the decisive factor. Following the Euro triumph, questions emerged over whether Spain had finally aban doned tiki-taka. The opening match against Croatia ended a remarkable run of 136 com petitive matches in which Spain enjoyed more possession than their opponents, a streak dat ing back to the Euro 2008 final. Yet De la Fuente insists the philosophy has not been discarded. Instead, it has been refined. Tiki-taka brought Spain unprecedented suc cess, but it was not always entertaining. Their World Cup-winning campaign in 2010 pro duced only eight goals in seven matches. Defensive solidity was equally important, with Spain keeping 10 clean sheets in 10 knockout matches between 2008 and 2012. The new Spain remains possession-based but uses the ball with greater intent. In a Coaches’ Voice interview after the Euro 2024 final, De la Fuente explained that everything starts by playing out from the back and creat ing overloads across the pitch to open space. “Our rivals know we can hurt them with possession, with positional attacks built with many passes,” he said. The difference lies in what follows. Spain now focus on turning possession into clear-cut opportunities, committing more players into attacking areas and making greater use of

ing De la Fuente wanted Spain “to be a bit more direct, using possession always to damage the opponent”. That approach was evident in the final against England. Spain’s opening goal came from quick interplay involving Yamal and

Williams, while the winner saw them move from the edge of their own penalty area to England’s six yard box in just five passes before Mikel Oyarzabal scored. Spain still domi nated possession in

Luis de la Fuente

that final, recording 67 per cent of the ball, but they now control matches in multiple ways. Their midfield remains argua bly the strongest in the tournament, while the combination of techni cal quality and athleti cism on the wings gives them a dimension few rivals can match. There are still con cerns. Injuries and absences in defence, along with the lack of a recog nised striker following Alvaro Morata’s decline, pre sent challenges. Yet De la Fuente’s system is more adaptable and forgiving than the original tiki-taka model. With rivals such as England and France still searching for consistency, Spain arrive at the World Cup with a clear identity and a proven formula. If all goes to plan, football may soon be talking about “tiki-taka 2.0” in the same reverential tones as the original.

“I am a fullback that offers a lot going for ward. I think that makes people think that I don’t know how to defend, when I have defended all my career,” he said. “I think I am in very good form. I have played at an incredible level for many years, which has brought me to where I am today.” No other player has scored more than Grimaldo’s six goals from free kicks over the past three seasons in Europe’s top five leagues. And he believes only the great Lionel

Messi can claim to be better from dead ball situations. “I think the distance that is best for me is 25m out, more or less. “I don’t know if there is anyone that hits it better than me, excluding Messi because Messi is Messi,” he said with a smile. “From further out there are players that hit it very well like Julian Alvarez or Dominik Szoboszlai.” – AFP