Saudi Arabia Coach Donis Warns of Spain's Depth Ahead of World Cup Clash

Saudi Arabia head coach Georgios Donis has addressed the media ahead of his team's World Cup 2026 clash with Spain, offering a detailed analysis of the Spanish side's strengths and weaknesses.

The Blackburn Rovers legend noted that Spain's style of play changes when key wingers Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams are absent from the starting lineup. 'Spain is not the same team when Yamal or Williams are on the bench,' Donis said. 'While they still have plenty of possession, they lack individual one-on-one penetration.'

Tactical Approach and Mindset

Donis emphasized the need for his team to stay compact and defend dynamically, acknowledging the difficulty of facing a possession-dominant side like Spain. 'It is very hard for any team playing against Spain to have any time in possession,' he explained. 'So what we must do is be more in control of our movement and compact, and when the ball goes through the lines, be able to defend dynamically.'

The coach also drew on Saudi Arabia's historic 2-1 victory over Argentina in the 2022 World Cup as an inspiration, but stressed that the team must focus on the present. 'It’s nice to see miracles in football, and we’ve seen favourites losing against underdogs. But we aren’t drawing anything from that,' he said.

• Donis identified Spain's different threat when Yamal and Williams are not playing, referencing their match against Cape Verde.
• Saudi Arabia must be compact and defend dynamically to counteract Spain's possession game.
• The coach downplayed comparisons to the Argentina upset, emphasizing a fresh mindset.
• Saudi Arabia will also face Cape Verde in the group stage, a match Donis believes will carry more pressure.

Spain and Saudi Arabia are set to meet in the group stage of the 2026 World Cup, with both teams aiming to secure a strong start. Donis concluded that while respecting Spain, his team will look to enjoy the occasion and compete fiercely.