The absence of Mohammed Al-Owais, the Al-Hilal goalkeeper, from the Saudi national team list for the matches against China and Japan in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers has sparked widespread controversy regarding the truth of his retirement from international play, especially after his unexpected absence.

Social media platforms circulated news about Al-Owais's international retirement, which raised questions about the reason for his exclusion from coach Hervé Renard's list.

Media figure Abdulaziz Al-Juhar denied the validity of these rumors, confirming that Al-Owais had not submitted any official letter announcing his retirement from international play.

Al-Juhar clarified that Al-Owais's absence from the national team's latest lineup was based on a technical vision from the French coach, and not due to reasons related to the player's retirement.

As the controversy continues, the door remains open for Al-Owais's return to the national team in the future, depending on the decisions of the coaching staff and the team's needs.