Saleh Al-Shehri, the Saudi Al-Ittihad star, confirmed that he benefited greatly from playing alongside Benzema.

Al-Shehri said in the introductory press conference for the match between Saudi Arabia and Australia: “When the big players joined the Saudi League, it was strange at first.”

He continued: “But when we train with them daily, we learn from them, and personally I have benefited a lot from Karim Benzema.”

Regarding the Australia match, he said: “Tomorrow’s match is awaited and with a team competing for the qualification card, we will appear in it in the best way.”

He added: "The absence of Salem Al-Dosari is undoubtedly an influential absence, but the group is able to compensate for any absence."

The Saudi national team will meet its counterpart, the Australian national team, tomorrow, Thursday, in the fifth round of the Asian qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup.