The head coach of the Saudi national team, Hervé Renard, announced the exclusion of defender Jihad Dhakri, a player for Al-Qadsiah, from the Green Falcons' squad participating in the Arab Cup currently being held in Qatar, after it was confirmed that he is not medically fit.

Renard's decision came following a report from the national team's medical staff, which indicated that recent examinations showed Jihad Zikri requires a treatment and rehabilitation program that prevents him from continuing to participate in the current Al-Akhdar camp.

The medical team indicated that the player is suffering from an injury that requires a period of rest, which led the French coach to make the final decision to exclude him, in order to protect his safety and prevent his condition from worsening during the remaining stages of the tournament.

The Al-Qadsiah defender has not appeared in any of the Saudi national team's matches during their run in the Arab Cup so far, as an injury has prevented him from participating in the group stage games.

The Saudi national team suffered a 1-0 defeat against Morocco in the final match of Group B, despite having already secured their spot in the quarterfinals since the second round after their 3-1 victory over the Comoros Islands.

The Green Team is currently preparing to face their Palestinian counterparts next Thursday evening, having finished the group stage in second place with six points. There are hopes to compensate for the absence of Dhikri and to perform stronger in the knockout rounds.

Renard hopes to maintain the balance of the defense despite the numerical disadvantage, with the national team players determined to continue the challenge in the tournament in pursuit of reaching the semifinals.