Saudi Arabia's Previous World Cup Results Show Just How Unexpected Win Over Argentina Was

Saudi Arabia's 2-1 win over Argentina was only their 4th victory in World Cup history. Saudi Arabia's previous World Cup results show what a big shock it was.

Robert Summerscales | Nov 22, 2022

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 in South Korea — 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)

Published Nov 22, 2022

ROBERT SUMMERSCALES

Robert Summerscales launched FanNation Futbol in February 2022. Rob is a British journalist who previously spent two years on the sports desk at the Daily Mail in London, having earlier served as editor of CaughtOffside.com. He has been to the last two FIFA Men's World Cups, in Russia and Qatar, and is looking forward to completing his hat-trick in North America in 2026.

World Cup Results Involving Saudi Arabia

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