Saudi national team striker and Al-Hilal player, Abdullah Al-Hamdan, missed the training session held by the "Green" team this evening, Saturday, in preparation for the anticipated match against the Iraq national team in the Asian playoff qualifying for the 2026 World Cup.

The Saudi Football Federation clarified via its official account on the "X" platform that Al-Hamdan's absence was due to a mild cold, which necessitated granting him a temporary rest from participating in group training to ensure his safety.

The Saudi national team players conducted their training at the auxiliary stadium of King Abdullah Sports City under the supervision of French coach Hervé Renard, starting with physical warm-up exercises followed by a specific training session focused on ball possession.

Renard also implemented a variety of tactical exercises before concluding the training session with a tactical division between two groups across the full area of the field, during which some strategic plays were executed in preparation for the upcoming match.

The "Green" team will continue its preparations tomorrow, Sunday, with a closed training session at 7 PM at the same stadium, where the coaching staff intends to focus on final tactical aspects before the crucial match.

The Saudi national team is preparing to face Iraq next Tuesday in the second group of the Asian playoff qualifying for the 2026 World Cup, with great ambitions to continue winning and secure a qualification spot.