The Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud, has promised each member of the national team a Rolls Royce Phantom for their World Cup opener victory over Argentina in Qatar.
With all odds stacked against them, a tenacious Saudi Arabian team stunned the Copa America champions 2-1 on Tuesday.
It is not the first time a Rolls Royce has been presented to a Saudi Arabian player. Saeed Al-Owairan received one of the luxury cars after scoring the winning goal in a 1-0 victory over Belgium in the 1994 tournament.
However, in 2022, despite having a seven-time Ballon d’Or winner and arguably the best player in the world on their roster, Lionel Messi, a struggling Argentina was unable to earn a point despite controlling the game for the majority of the time.
The middle eastern team entered halftime with a bleak outcome in sight after Messi’s penalty in the first 10 minutes of play. However, Saudi Arabia immediately turned the game around after the second half began with Saleh Alshehri’s goal, 48′, tying Argentina, and Saleh Aldawsari’s winning goal, 53′.
The day after the victory, Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, the Saudi King, had already declared a national holiday. Students in all educational levels and personnel in the public and private sectors were all granted a day off to commemorate the astounding victory.
With Mexico and Poland now locked in goalless draws and two-time champion Argentina at the bottom of the group, Saudi Arabia is the only side in Group C to have won a match thus far in the competition.
