Saudi Football Federation and Saudi National Bank renew partnership

Saudi Football Federation and Saudi National Bank renew partnership
The renewal of the exclusive and official partnership agreement was signed by President of the Saudi Football Federation Yasser bin Hassan Al-Misehal and Chief Executive Officer of Saudi National Bank Tareq Abdulrahman Al-Sadhan. (Supplied)
Short Url
Updated 01 June 2024
Follow

Saudi Football Federation and Saudi National Bank renew partnership

Saudi Football Federation and Saudi National Bank renew partnership
  • The official partnership includes the NSB’s sponsorship of the activities and programs of the Saudi Football Federation
  • Al-Misehil added that this step opened more prospects for cooperation and partnership with the banking sector

Jeddah: A new three-year partnership deal has been struck between the Saudi Football Federation and Saudi National Bank. The deal will begin from the 2024/25 season and run until 2027.
The renewal of the exclusive and official partnership agreement was signed by President of the Saudi Football Federation Yasser bin Hassan Al-Misehal and Chief Executive Officer of Saudi National Bank Tareq Abdulrahman Al-Sadhan.
The official partnership includes the NSB’s sponsorship of the activities and programs of the Saudi Football Federation, the national teams, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Cup, the Saudi Super Cup and the Saudi Women’s Football League.
Al-Misehil said: “We are delighted to renew our partnership with the SNB and extend our long-term commitment of support for a further three years.
“We look forward to our continued work with the SNB on a range of other important programs within Saudi football.”
Al-Misehil added that this step opened more prospects for cooperation and partnership with the banking sector, especially as the Saudi National Bank was a pioneer in the sector, and the continuation of this partnership would contribute to the development of football in line with the Kingdom’s Vision 2030.
Al-Sadhan said: “We are all proud to be partners of the nation in its development journey, and the renewal of the bank’s exclusive partnership as an official sponsor of Saudi football confirms the important role that the bank plays in the growth of the sports sector and supporting Saudi football to contribute to achieving excellence at the local and global levels and reaching international ranks in order to achieve the goals of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030.”


Haaland helps Norway start their World Cup qualifying campaign with 5-0 rout

Haaland helps Norway start their World Cup qualifying campaign with 5-0 rout
Updated 22 March 2025
Follow

Haaland helps Norway start their World Cup qualifying campaign with 5-0 rout

Haaland helps Norway start their World Cup qualifying campaign with 5-0 rout
  • The Scandinavian side are favored to win Group I, which also includes Estonia and Israel
  • The talented Norway team likewise failed to qualify for the 2024 European Championship

CHISINAU: Erling Haaland helped Norway make a positive start to their World Cup qualifying campaign by scoring in a 5-0 rout at Moldova on Saturday.
Norway’s third and last World Cup appearance was back in 1998, two years before Haaland was born.
Now, Haaland lead a team featuring Arsenal midfielder Martin Odegaard that bear high expectations of reaching the 2026 tournament in the United States, Mexico and Canada.
The Scandinavian side are favored to win Group I, which also includes Estonia and Israel.
Haaland scored Norway’s second goal against the outmatched Moldova. That took his exceptional career haul to 39 goals in 40 appearances for his country since his 2019 debut.
Dortmund defender Julian Ryerson opened the scoring for Norway five minutes after kickoff in Chisinau. Haaland doubled the lead in the 23rd.
Thelo Aasgaard, who assisted Ryerson for the opener, made it three before Odegaard set up Alexander Sorloth before halftime. Substitute Aron Donnum got on the scoreboard in the second half.
Haaland already knows what it is to win the Champions League, Premier League and FA Cup with Manchester City, but he has yet to take his country to a major tournament. Injury ruled Haaland out of several matches during Norway’s unsuccessful qualifying campaign for the 2022 World Cup.
The talented Norway team likewise failed to qualify for the 2024 European Championship when they disappointed with a third-place group finish behind Spain and Scotland.
Europe to send 16 teams
Europe will have 16 teams in the expanded 48-team field for next year’s World Cup in North America.
They will come from the winners of the 12 qualifying groups plus four from a playoff of the group runners-up.
The group stage of European qualifying runs through November.


Spain coach hails emerging talent ahead of Netherlands clash

Spain coach hails emerging talent ahead of Netherlands clash
Updated 22 March 2025
Follow

Spain coach hails emerging talent ahead of Netherlands clash

Spain coach hails emerging talent ahead of Netherlands clash
  • The defender could be paired with the uncapped Real Madrid defender Raul Asencio on Sunday against the Netherlands
  • “For us, many of the (breakthrough) players are not surprising, we know the quality of the raw material we have in this country,” De la Fuente said

VALENCIA: Spain coach Luis de la Fuente hailed his team’s “inexhaustible” supply of talent on Saturday, ahead of the Nations League quarter-final second leg clash against the Netherlands.
Euro 2024 winners Spain fought back in the 2-2 first leg draw to stay unbeaten in their last 22 competitive games, with Bournemouth center-back Dean Huijsen making his debut as a substitute in Rotterdam on Thursday and impressing.
The defender could be paired with the uncapped Real Madrid defender Raul Asencio on Sunday against the Netherlands, after Barcelona’s Pau Cubarsi hurt his ankle in the first leg.
“For us, many of the (breakthrough) players are not surprising, we know the quality of the raw material we have in this country,” De la Fuente told a news conference.
“We can use players who have made history and who are great players today, with exceptional experience... (and) others who are appearing, and who will make us grow, become more competitive and a better team.
“It’s very healthy and good news for everyone because we know that we have an inexhaustible youth system.”
Spain won the Nations League under De la Fuente in 2023 and then propelled by young wingers Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams, roared to Euro 2024 victory in Germany.
De la Fuente took off Barcelona teenager Yamal in the first half of the draw with Netherlands and left Asencio out of the squad entirely.
“This is a squad with great players and we manage it like any team,” continued De la Fuente.
“There are 26 of us, we can have 23 players (in the matchday squad), Raul understood it, and is happy to be here with us and having this experience...
“I can make two exceptional starting line-ups, that’s the luck I have, and we have in this country, but not only these 26 players, we have so many more that could be here as well.”
Netherlands fans created a display in the stands for the first leg which depicted Robin van Persie’s spectacular diving header against Spain during a 5-1 with for the Dutch in the 2014 World Cup.
Asked what he would like to see at Valencia’s Mestalla stadium in response, De la Fuente was certain.
“Three nil on the scoreboard,” joked the Spain coach.
“Tomorrow our fans will be fired up, they will put a lot of pressure on and we will feel powered by a supernatural strength.”
The coach thanked Spain fans for the team’s welcome in the east coast city on Friday, as over 20,000 turned up to show their support at an open training session and donated to support renovations following the devastating floods which hit the Valencia region last October.
“I don’t think I’ve seen anything like it... it will be a historic atmosphere,” added De la Fuente.


France midfielder Rabiot has a calf problem and could miss Croatia match

France midfielder Rabiot has a calf problem and could miss Croatia match
Updated 22 March 2025
Follow

France midfielder Rabiot has a calf problem and could miss Croatia match

France midfielder Rabiot has a calf problem and could miss Croatia match
  • “Rabiot has a calf problem and will not train this (Saturday) evening,” Deschamps said

PARIS: France midfielder Adrien Rabiot has a minor calf injury and is doubtful to face Croatia in the return leg of the Nations League quarterfinals on Sunday.
Rabiot came off midway through the second half on Thursday in Split, where Les Bleus lost 2-0.
“Rabiot has a calf problem and will not train this (Saturday) evening,” Deschamps said at a pre-match news conference. “It looks complicated for tomorrow.”
France won the Nations League in 2021 but lost to Croatia 1-0 at home the following year.
Before Sunday’s game, France will pay tribute to all-time leading scorer Olivier Giroud, who retired from the national team last year after scoring 57 goals in 137 matches.
Thierry Henry is second with 51 followed by Kylian Mbappé on 48. Mbappé missed chances to score in Split.


Green Falcons start training ahead of Tuesday’s 2026 World Cup qualifier against Japan

Green Falcons start training ahead of Tuesday’s 2026 World Cup qualifier against Japan
Updated 22 March 2025
Follow

Green Falcons start training ahead of Tuesday’s 2026 World Cup qualifier against Japan

Green Falcons start training ahead of Tuesday’s 2026 World Cup qualifier against Japan
  • Head coach Herve Renard divided the players into two groups
  • National team will hold a closed training session on Sunday

SAITAMA, Japan: Saudi Arabia’s national football team started training on Saturday at Saitama Stadium’s training pitch in preparation for their clash against their host Japan on Tuesday.
The Green Falcons will face off with Japan at Saitama Stadium 2002 as part of the eighth round of the AFC qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
On the field, head coach Herve Renard divided the players into two groups. The first group included those who played their recent match against China, and were assigned recovery exercises at the health club.
The second group, which consisted of the remaining players, had warm-up exercises followed by small-sided games. Later, the players carried out a variety of tactical exercises, and the session concluded with stretching.
The national team will hold a closed training session on Sunday, at 7:00 p.m. at the same training pitch.
The Green Falcons arrived in Japan on Friday evening, a day after beating 10-man China 1-0 in Riyadh to get their 2026 World Cup qualification campaign back on track.


Former Algerian international Djamel Menad dies aged 64

Former Algerian international Djamel Menad dies aged 64
Updated 22 March 2025
Follow

Former Algerian international Djamel Menad dies aged 64

Former Algerian international Djamel Menad dies aged 64
  • “The wider Algerian football family and JS Kabylie are in mourning following the announcement of the death of Djamel Menad,” JS Kabylie wrote
  • Born on July 22, 1960 in the town of El Bayadh, Menad represented his country 79 times, scoring 25 goals, over a 15-year international career

ALGIERS: Former Algeria forward Djamel Menad has died aged 64 following a short illness, his ex-club JS Kabylie announced on Saturday.
“The wider Algerian football family and JS Kabylie are in mourning following the announcement of the death of Djamel Menad, a former player and true legend of football in the country,” JS Kabylie wrote on social media.
“In recent weeks, the health of the former center-forward of the Algerian national team had deteriorated rapidly as a result of a devastating illness that struck him around two months ago,” indicated news website TSA.
Menad died in a clinic in Algiers where he had been hospitalized on March 14, after returning from Brussels where he had been receiving treatment for a month, reported Algerian football media DZfoot.
Born on July 22, 1960 in the town of El Bayadh, Menad represented his country 79 times, scoring 25 goals, over a 15-year international career.
Menad’s efforts in helping Algeria reach the 1986 World Cup in Mexico resulted in him being named Algerian sportsman of the year in 1985.
He was notably top scorer at the 1990 Africa Cup of Nations, with four goals in five appearances as Algeria claimed the trophy on home soil.
Over his club career, Menad played for Algerian sides JS Kabylie, CR Belouizdad and USM Alger. He also played in Europe for French club Nimes, as well as Portuguese sides Famalicao and Belenenses.
Menad moved into coaching after his playing career and was most recently sporting director at JS Kabylie.