March 25, 2025, Japan secured their spot in next year's World Cup with a 2-0 win over Bahrain on Thursday.
Saudi Arabia’s manager, Hervé Renard, mentioned that Japan's qualification won’t impact their game strategy when they face each other on Tuesday at Saitama Stadium, just north of Tokyo. Japan qualified with a top position in Group C with 19 points from seven matches, while Australia is second with 10 points and Saudi Arabia holds nine points.
Renard stated, “We still have to play Japan tomorrow, then go to Bahrain and host Australia for the final match, so it’s a tough sprint for second place. We have to adapt to the situation and fight for direct qualification. Japan is disciplined and has their philosophy, and there's no doubt they will play this match at full intensity. We are up against the best team in Asia, so we are prepared to compete.”
Goalkeeper Nawaf Al-Aghidi expressed that the Saudi team had a positive experience in Japan: “We’ve had a great few days here and thank the Japanese for their warm welcome. Congratulations to Japan on qualifying. Tomorrow’s game will be tough for both teams, and we hope to secure three points.”
Renard praised the 1-0 win over China but admitted that the team wasn’t efficient in front of goal. “We created plenty of chances but didn’t score many goals,” he said.
Renard also acknowledged the impact of injuries and Ramadan on some players, but emphasized that no excuses would be made. "We have some injured players, but that’s part of football. Ramadan makes things harder for the players, but they need to adapt. We need to be ready because we’ll have to run a lot tomorrow."
Al-Aghidi shared his commitment to helping the team: “My role is to help my national team. I want to play more and be ready to contribute. I’ll do my best to support my teammates and help us achieve the result we’ve worked for.”
When asked about Japan’s ambition to win the World Cup by 2050, Renard responded, “It’s natural to have big ambitions. Winning the World Cup is a massive goal, but Japan has a lot of quality players, and they can achieve it in the future. We know we are playing against a strong team, and we must be prepared for a tough match. But in football, you must believe in yourself.”