Saudi coach Renard says Iraq game most important of his career

VIDEO SHOWS: SOUNDBITES FROM SAUDI ARABIA HEAD HERVE RENARD AND IRAQ HEAD COACH COACH GRAHAM. RESENDING WITH COMPLETE SCRIPT  SHOWS: JEDDAH, SAUDI ARABIA (OCTOBER 13, 2025) (AFC – For editorial use. No resales. No monetisation) 1. SAUDI ARABIA WALKING INTO PRE-MATCH PRESS CONFERENCE 2. WHITE FLASH 3. (SOUNDBITE) (English) SAUDI ARABIA HEAD COACH, HERVE RENARD, SAYING: "What we did before, it's nothing up to now because if we don't achieve our goal tomorrow you won't remember the game against Indonesia, the game we played in Bahrain so the most important is tomorrow." 4. WHITE FLASH 5. (SOUNDBITE) (English) SAUDI ARABIA HEAD COACH, HERVE RENARD, SAYING: "This game, it's for me, one of the most important game of my career. I will explain to you after the game." 6. WHITE FLASH 7. SAUDI ARABIA LEAVING PRESS CONFERENCE 8. IRAQ SITTING DOWN AT PRE-MATCH PRESS CONFERENCE 9. WHITE FLASH 10. (SOUNDBITE) (English) IRAQ HEAD COACH, GRAHAM ARNOLD, SAYING WHILE BEING TRANSLATED: "I think the pressure's more on Saudi, not only it's they have in their brain, in their brain two ways to qualify, that is draw or win,  we have one way, that's win, so our full focus is going out and go for it." 11. (SOUNDBITE) (English) IRAQ HEAD COACH, GRAHAM ARNOLD, SAYING "Maybe ask the referee to keep the red card in his pocket." 12. WHITE FLASH 13. IRAQ LEAVING PRESS CONFERENCE STORY: Herve Renard has called Saudi Arabia's World Cup qualifying clash with Iraq in Jeddah on Tuesday the most important game of his coaching career as they stand on the cusp of a place at next year's finals. The Frenchman, twice a winner of the African Cup of Nations and whose Saudi side beat Argentina at the last World Cup, will lead his team into the clash needing only a draw to secure a berth at a seventh World Cup for the Gulf state. Renard is in his second spell as Saudi coach having returned to replace Roberto Mancini during the previous round of preliminaries to resurrect the team's World Cup hopes after a series of disappointing performances under the Italian. Saudi Arabia lead Group B of the fourth round of Asia's preliminaries on goals scored after the Saudis and Iraq secured wins over Indonesia. The Saudis hold a slim advantage in the standings due to their 3-2 victory over Patrick Kluivert's side, who the Iraqis beat 1-0. The group winners qualify directly for the finals, where they will join Japan, South Korea, Iran, Australia, Uzbekistan and Jordan as Asia's representatives. The United Arab Emirates and Qatar meet in Doha in Group A, also on Tuesday, to determine the other Asian qualifier with the runners-up in the two groups due to meet in November for a spot in an intercontinental playoff. Iraq coach Graham Arnold confirmed talismanic striker Aymen Hussein would be fit after missing the win over Indonesia on Saturday (October 11). Arnold said his team is relaxed ahead all-important clash, emphasising the pressure is on Saudi Arabia. (Production: Lucy Thomson, Michael Church)

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