Messi prompts Waleed Al-Farraj to attack the Saudi national team's stars
What did the famous media personality say?
Media personality Waleed Al-Faraj has opened a thorny file on the Saudi national team, invoking the name of Argentine star Lionel Messi to draw a line between the "Tango" and the Green team amid the storm surrounding the latter's recent results.
Speaking on the programme "Rotana Sport with Waleed", Al-Faraj weighed in as the Saudi national team prepares for the Gulf Cup. They want to restore confidence and repair their image after a disappointing showing at the last World Cup.
Al-Faraj: we don't have a player like Messi
"We don't have a player like Lionel Messi who can carry the team on his shoulders," Al-Faraj said, pointing to the lack of anyone who can make the difference alone and lead the team through difficult moments.
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For Al-Faraj, the problem runs deeper than technical ability. It reaches into leadership too. He argues the Saudi national team simply does not have a star who commands the same standing and influence Messi holds with Argentina.
He added: "Whether at the technical level we don't have a player like Messi, or on the leadership side, everyone loves the Argentine star and plays for his sake, and we don't have anyone like him."
Messi present in Al-Faraj's comparison
Messi's experience with Argentina became Al-Faraj's way into the debate over what the Saudi national team needs. Over the past years, the Argentine has become one of the most important elements of his country's side, not only for what he provides with the ball but for his influence on his teammates and his personality on the pitch.
Questions keep swirling over whether the Saudi national team's stars can shoulder the responsibility of the coming phase. The Green team need to restore their presence and deliver results that give fans a fresh reason for optimism.
The Saudi national team's problems cannot be pinned on the absence of a single player. Even so, Al-Faraj's remarks underline how much the side needs figures capable of carrying the load and making the difference, technically or as leaders, in matches where the pressure bites.
