Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Thursday, Aug 28, 2025

Euphoric scenes erupt as Arab and Mideast region unites in Saudi victory celebrations

Euphoric scenes erupt as Arab and Mideast region unites in Saudi victory celebrations

Euphoric scenes erupted all over the Arab world and the Middle East region after Saudi Arabia’s stunning victory in its World Cup opening match against Lionel Messi’s Argentina.
The shock that reverberated around the world when Saudi Arabia beat Argentina in Tuesday’s World Cup upset quickly turned to a wave of euphoric joy not just in the Kingdom, but across the region.

Leaders and the public joined football fans all over the region in celebrating the joyous occasion of the Green Falcons’ sealing of one of the biggest upsets in the World Cup’s nine-decade history.

Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad was seen carrying Saudi Arabia’s flag and draping it around his neck during the Saudi match against Argentina. In a video circulating on social media, a fan hands a Saudi flag to the smiling emir who then places it around his neck and waves at the cheering crowd.

Dubai’s Ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid tweeted after the match to congratulate Saudi Arabia’s Green Falcons, calling the result a “deserved victory” and praising their “combative performance.”

Pakistan Prime Minister Mohammed Shehbaz Sharif expressed his jubilation in the comment: What a game of football it was! “Saudi Arabia made history today by staging the biggest upset in FIFA World Cup thriller against Argentina. Heartiest congratulations to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. We share the happiness of our Saudi brothers and sisters on this great win.

Thousands of Saudi fans inside the Lusail Stadium couldn’t believe what they were watching as they celebrated their unexpected victory. As full-time neared, fans cheered every tackle and save as if they were goals and, when the match did indeed end, Saudi Arabia fans reacted with frenzy.

Both sets of players sunk to their knees, from disbelief and exhaustion. Messi, who so many had come see play, looked distraught as he walked off with Saudi fans cheering his name ironically.

According to sports data group Gracenote, Tuesday’s result was the biggest upset in the history of the competition. As much as this was a historic win for Saudi Arabia, it was a humiliating defeat for Argentina who capitulated on the biggest stage.

Saudi players smiled and laughed with reporters as they left the stadium, a stark contrast to the Argentine squad who walked with their heads down onto the team bus. Messi was one of the few to stop and speak to journalists and even stopped for photos.

There were euphoric scenes inside the Saudi Arabian squad’s changing room, moments after they pulled off the impossible and secured a historic victory over Argentina. The players embraced wild celebrations, dancing and cheering loudly, and toasted success with water.

The victory was celebrated by Arabs everywhere as a win for them. Across the United States, Europe, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East, people found pride and joy in the Saudi underdog beating a famously much stronger team.

The Arab world in particular witnessed a rare moment of shared ecstasy.

People tweeted the hashtag “Our Gulf is one” alongside the photos of the two leaders – the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia and the Emir of Qatar - among other images, including a clip of an interview with goalkeeper Mohammed Al-Owais saying, “today, as Arabs, we are playing on our land, and among our fans. This gives you an advantage on our opponents, whoever they may be.”

In Egypt, a popular news website sent an emailed newsletter titled “Good on ya, Saudi,” telling its subscribers that today they are “working with big grins on our faces after Saudi’s shock 2-1 victory against Argentina in the first of today’s World Cup matches.”

On its part, Saudi social media was in a joyous uproar. Many public figures such as religious leaders were quick to ascribe the win to the leadership of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

But the real celebrities were the team members themselves, especially the goalkeeper. Saudis posted their photos alongside hashtags such as “Our Falcons are our pride” and “Our green ahead of all.”

Fan videos of player Salem Al-Dawsari scoring the winning goal at 53 minutes peppered Saudi social media accounts, overlaid with love ballads and live commentary from Arab football announcers.

Turki Al-Sheikh, chairman of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority had tweeted a photo two days before the match of Argentinian fans, hands half-covering their faces as they nervously watched a game. “Soon,” the caption read. After the Saudi upset, he replied to his previous tweet pointing out his prediction, and congratulated the team, the Crown Prince, and others including “the great Saudi people.”

He also announced free access for the remainder of the day to Riyadh-based carnivals and recreational complexes such as Winter Wonderland and Boulevard World. Soon afterward, the Monarch announced that Wednesday will be a public holiday for employees and students in Saudi Arabia.

Many expatriates joined their Saudi fans in celebrating the historic win. In the streets, people were seen in large numbers chanting the names of the players and waving green flags.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
After the Shock of Defeat, Iranians Yearn for Change
YouTube Altered Content by Artificial Intelligence – Without Permission
Iran Faces Escalating Water Crisis as Protests Spread
More Than Half a Million Evacuated as Typhoon Kajiki Heads for Vietnam
HSBC Switzerland Ends Relationships with Over 1,000 Clients from Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Qatar, and Egypt
Sharia Law Made Legally Binding in Austria Despite Warnings Over 'Incompatible' Values
Dogfights in the Skies: Airbus on Track to Overtake Boeing and Claim Aviation Supremacy
Tim Cook Promises an AI Revolution at Apple: "One of the Most Significant Technologies of Our Generation"
Are AI Data Centres the Infrastructure of the Future or the Next Crisis?
Miles Worth Billions: How Airlines Generate Huge Profits
Zelenskyy Returns to White House Flanked by European Allies as Trump Pressures Land-Swap Deal with Putin
Beijing is moving into gold and other assets, diversifying away from the dollar
Cristiano Ronaldo Makes Surprise Stop at New Hong Kong Museum
Zelenskyy to Visit Washington after Trump–Putin Summit Yields No Agreement
High-Stakes Trump-Putin Summit on Ukraine Underway in Alaska
Iranian Protection Offers Chinese Vehicle Shipments a Cost Advantage over Japanese and Korean Makers
Saudi Arabia accelerates renewables to curb domestic oil use
Cristiano Ronaldo and Georgina Rodríguez announce engagement
Asia-Pacific dominates world’s busiest flight routes, with South Korea’s Jeju–Seoul corridor leading global rankings
Private Welsh island with 19th-century fort listed for sale at over £3 million
Sam Altman challenges Elon Musk with plans for Neuralink rival
Australia to Recognize the State of Palestine at UN Assembly
The Collapse of the Programmer Dream: AI Experts Now the Real High-Earners
Armenia and Azerbaijan to Sign US-Brokered Framework Agreement for Nakhchivan Corridor
British Labour Government Utilizes Counter-Terrorism Tools for Social Media Monitoring Against Legitimate Critics
WhatsApp Deletes 6.8 Million Scam Accounts Amid Rising Global Fraud
Nine people have been hospitalized and dozens of salmonella cases have been reported after an outbreak of infections linked to certain brands of pistachios and pistachio-containing products, according to the Public Health Agency of Canada
Texas Residents Face Water Restrictions While AI Data Centers Consume Millions of Gallons
Tariffs, AI, and the Shifting U.S. Macro Landscape: Navigating a New Economic Regime
India Rejects U.S. Tariff Threat, Defends Russian Oil Purchases
United States Establishes Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and Digital Asset Stockpile
Thousands of Private ChatGPT Conversations Accidentally Indexed by Google
China Tightens Mineral Controls, Curtailing Critical Inputs for Western Defence Contractors
OpenAI’s Bold Bet: Teaching AI to Think, Not Just Chat
BP’s Largest Oil and Gas Find in 25 Years Uncovered Offshore Brazil
JPMorgan and Coinbase Unveil Partnership to Let Chase Cardholders Buy Crypto Directly
British Tourist Dies Following Hair Transplant in Turkey, Police Investigate
WhatsApp Users Targeted in New Scam Involving Account Takeovers
Trump Deploys Nuclear Submarines After Threats from Former Russian President Medvedev
Germany’s Economic Breakdown and the Return of Militarization: From Industrial Collapse to a New Offensive Strategy
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
President Trump Diagnosed with Chronic Venous Insufficiency After Leg Swelling
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
"Can You Hit Moscow?" Trump Asked Zelensky To Make Putin "Feel The Pain"
Nvidia Becomes World’s First Four‑Trillion‑Dollar Company Amid AI Boom
Iranian President Reportedly Injured During Israeli Strike on Secret Facility
×