JEDDAH: Stars of global football and the entertainment world attended a glittering ceremony in Riyadh on Monday to honor the Saudi international team who have qualified for next year’s World Cup finals in Russia.
The unique event included a penalty shoot-out contest against a robot goalkeeper — which saved shots from top players such as Roma legend Francesco Totti, former Barcelona and Real Madrid star Luis Figo, and Brazilians Ronaldo, Rivaldo and Roberto Carlos.
Other famous players at the event were Italian star Paolo Maldini, Didier Drogba, of Côte d’Ivoire, Barcelona legend Carles Puyol and Ryan Giggs of Manchester United and Wales.
The only “player” who managed to score against the robot was not, in fact, a footballer — it was the Egyptian artist Mohamed Henedi.
Entertainment was provided by the Croatian cellist duo, 2Cellos, along with Mohammed Abdo, Rashid Al Majid, Rabah Saqr, Abadi Al-Jawhar, Majed Al-Mohandes and Abdallah Al-Rowaished.
The Chairman of the General Sports Authority, Turki bin Abdulmohsen Al Al-Sheikh, inaugurated the Saudi team mascot, “Saqr,” during the ceremony at the Prince Faisal bin Fahad Complex in the Saudi capital.
It was revealed at the event that Saudi Arabia may play a match next year against Iraq, which has suffered a series of FIFA bans on international matches inside the country. The last one was lifted only in May this year.
“I ask the president of the Saudi Arabian Football Association, Adel Ezzat, to let the Saudi football team play a game in Iraq in the first quarter of 2018,” Al-Sheikh said.
Football legends honor Saudi World Cup heroes
Football legends honor Saudi World Cup heroes
Mhally lands Saudi Cup start
- 2000 Guineas winner shines in The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Cup
RIYADH: Last year’s winner of the 2000 Guineas, Mhally (GB), stepped up to the mark 12 months later to earn a place in the 2026 Saudi Cup with victory under in-form Ricardo Ferreira in the Group 3 Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Cup.
The success in the $400,000 feature at King Abdulaziz Racecourse was part of a Ferreira four-timer and capped a terrific day for the rider who, along with trainer Thamer Al-Daihani and owner Sheikh Abdullah Homoud Al-Malek Al-Sabah, also won the 2000 Guineas again, this time with Al-Haram (IRE).
Mhally progressed from his 2000 Guineas success to be third on Saudi Cup night in the Derby in 2025 and will be back again this time in the main $20 million event on Feb. 14 after proving his stamina in the qualifier over 1800m.
There were four in with a chance halfway down the home stretch, but Mhally knows where the winning post is at King Abdulaziz and found more when required to deny last year’s US winning rider, Joel Rosario, aboard Ameerat Al-Zamaan (GB) by three-quarters of a length.
And the owner-trainer-jockey combination could have another superstar on their hands, given Al Haram’s devastating success in the $124,000 2000 Guineas sponsored by J Event.
The 3-year-old had won both of his previous starts over the 1600m trip but took his form to a new level to qualify for the $1.5 million G3 Saudi Derby.
Al-Haram was slightly slow away and found himself at the rear of the field, leaving himself with a huge task ahead, but he found generously for pressure and surged through the field to win in monstrous fashion by seven-and-a-quarter lengths.
Maestro Du Croate (FR) ran well to be third last week and got off the mark at the seventh attempt under Camilo Ospina to take the $44,000 G3 Al-Diriyah Cup sponsored by STC.
Nijinski Al Maury (FR) looked to be going best turning in, but the Bassim Al-Mousa-trained 4-year-old found more under an inspired Ospina, and after an almighty tussle, collected by one length to qualify for the $2 million G1 Obaiya Arabian Classic.
Ospina also took the $44,000 Riyadh Dirt Sprint Qualifier sponsored by Nova as his Min Shan (KSA) led home a one-two for the White Stable of King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz and Sons.
Over three lengths separated Min Shan from the Mickael Barzalona-ridden Jeddah Beach (USA) at the line, with the winner completing a hat-trick over the 1200m trip to land a gate in the $2 million G2 Riyadh Dirt Sprint.
One of Ferreira’s other winners came as Thayaf (KSA) maintained his unbeaten record with a fourth career victory in the domestic G1 King Abdulaziz Cup, while Christophe Soumillon landed back-to-back wins aboard Wanaameen (KSA) as they followed up last month’s success in the domestic G1 Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Cup.
