Saudi Arabia lacked necessary strength to implement their defensive plan

Saudi Arabia's defensive approach crumbled against Spain's efficient attack, leading to a 4-0 World Cup loss and coach Georgios Donis lamenting his team's insufficient resilience. Spain dismantled Saudi Arabia's low block, scoring three goals within the opening 30 minutes of the Group H match.

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We decided to play with three centre backs, so with five across the back and have a low block and to do as best we could possibly defensively. But we had to be stronger and stop the ball. There was no single reason for what didn’t go well for us, but the key is we were not strong enough around the edge of our box.

Donis explained that the team opted for a five-man defense with three center-backs, aiming for a low block to contain Spain. However, he admitted, "we had to be stronger and stop the ball." He identified a lack of strength around the penalty area as a key issue, noting that Lamine Yamal's early goal significantly impacted the team's morale and led to numerous mistakes.

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Spain scored early with excellent pace, and this affected our morale. After that, we made a lot of mistakes when we had the ball at our feet. When a game is not going well and when you concede three goals very quickly, you feel insecure.

Despite the heavy defeat, Donis expressed pride in his players' daily efforts, stating, "I'll never lose pride in my players, even after a poor result." He acknowledged the criticism the team would face but urged realism, pointing out other lopsided scores in the tournament. Saudi Arabia, with one point from two games, will conclude their group stage against Cape Verde.

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We had a bad result today but against one of the best teams at the World Cup and it’s very difficult for us to digest. But I’m proud of my players for what they do every day and I’ll never lose pride in my players, even after a poor result.