Saudi Arabia's Previous World Cup Results Show Just How Unexpected Win Over Argentina Was
Saudi Arabia's shock 2-1 win over Argentina was only their fourth victory in FIFA World Cup history.
All four of those victories have been by a margin of one goal - they beat Morocco 2-1 and Belgium 1-0 in 1994, before winning 2-1 against Egypt in 2018.
Conversely, some of Saudi Arabia's World Cup defeats have been by much heavier scorelines.
They lost 8-0 to Germany in 2002, having been trounced 4-0 by France four years earlier. Ukraine also put four past Saudi Arabia in 2006.
A view of the scoreboard after Germany's 8-0 win over Saudi Arabia at the 2002 World Cup
IMAGO/Ulmer
But Saudi Arabia's most humiliating World Cup result was arguably a 5-0 defeat at the hands of a distinctly-average Russia side in 2018.
Saudi Arabia have now played 17 matches at FIFA World Cups, losing 11 and drawing two.
Tuesday's win over Argentina improved their goal difference to minus 27.
Saudi Arabia have only once progressed beyond the group stage at a World Cup - in 1994 when they lost 3-1 to Sweden in the round of 16.
World Cup Results Involving Saudi Arabia
| Saudi Arabia at FIFA World Cups |
|---|
Loss: Saudi Arabia 1-2 Holland (1994) |
Win: Saudi Arabia 2-1 Morocco (1994) |
Win: Saudi Arabia 1-0 Belgium (1994) |
Loss: Saudi Arabia 1-3 Sweden (1994) |
Loss: Saudi Arabia 0-1 Denmark (1998) |
Loss: Saudi Arabia 0-4 France (1998) |
Draw: Saudi Arabia 2-2 South Africa (1998) |
Loss: Saudi Arabia 0-8 Germany (2002) |
Loss: Saudi Arabia 0-1 Cameroon (2002) |
Loss: Saudi Arabia 0-3 Ireland (2002) |
Draw: Saudi Arabia 2-2 Tunisia (2006) |
Loss: Saudi Arabia 0-4 Ukraine (2006) |
Loss: Saudi Arabia 0-1 Spain (2006) |
Loss: Saudi Arabia 0-5 Russia (2018) |
Loss: Saudi Arabia 0-1 Uruguay (2018) |
Win: Saudi Arabia 2-1 Egypt (2018) |
Win: Saudi Arabia 2-1 Argentina (2022) |
