KARACHI: As millions around the world rooted for Saudi Arabia during their football match with Argentina on Tuesday, a super fan of the Green Falcons in Pakistan said he was on the edge until the outcome of the contest became clear.
In what was described as one of the greatest upsets in the history of FIFA World Cup, Saudi Arabia convincingly outclassed the rival team by scoring two goals against one.
The match was also screened in a small neighborhood of Karachi’s old Lyari town where residents had adorned their streets with the national flags of Argentina and Brazil.
Murals of Argentina and Brazil flags are painted along a street in Karachi, Pakistan, on November 23, 2022. (AN Photo)
However, one of the inhabitants of the area, Shah Murad, said he had full faith in the Saudi football players and was carrying their flag even before the match started.
“After the match, hundreds of people joined me to celebrate victory which was a huge moment for me,” he told Arab News. “Prior to that, they were taunting me for supporting a small team. But they stopped making fun of me when Saudi Arabia defeated Argentina.
Murad said his favorite players was Yasser Al-Qahtani, though he also enjoyed the performance of Saleh Al-Shehri, Nawaf Alabid, Fahad Mosaed Al-Muwallad, Osama Hawsawi, Yasser Alshahrani and other footballers.
Saudi Arabia's forward #11 Saleh Al-Shehri celebrates with Saudi Arabia's forward #09 Firas Al-Buraikan after scoring his team's first goal during the Qatar 2022 World Cup Group C football match between Argentina and Saudi Arabia at the Lusail Stadium in Lusail, north of Doha on November 22, 2022. (AFP)
Lyari is sometimes described as mini-Brazil and football capital of Pakistan for producing immense talent for the sport. While its residents support different teams, a majority of them cheer for top football playing nations like Germany, Brazil and Argentina.
“This place is full of those who support Argentina and Brazil,” Murad said, adding it was even hard for him to find a jersey of his favorite Saudi team.
“I requested my friends and relatives living abroad to send it to me,” he continued.
Shah Murad celebrates the victory of the Saudi football team against Argentina by holding a flag of Saudi Arabia in Karachi, Pakistan, on November 23, 2022. (Shah Murad)
Murad, a 30-year-old teaboy at a private bank, said he utilized his annual leave for FIFA World Cup, though he said it was his wish to go to the football stadium to watch his favorite team.
“You cannot imagine how happy I am,” he laughed. “The people who congratulated me after the match outnumbered those who felicitated me on my marriage.”
He maintained the whole Pakistani nation was happy to see the Saudi performance.
“I felt really proud since it was my team that won,” he said before going to the rooftop to wave the Saudi flag.
