Gulf 27.. The Saudi national team seeks the cup after a 23-year absence

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The Saudi national team is preparing to participate in the 27th Gulf Cup, which will be hosted in Jeddah from September 23 to October 6, in search of its fourth title and to end a 23-year absence from the podium since its last title in 2003.

The Saudi team will compete in the tournament under the leadership of its Greek coach Georgios Donis in Group A, which includes Iraq, Kuwait, and Oman, a group that gathers four teams that have previously won the title.

Saudi Arabia enters the tournament without several players, most notably the team captain Salem Al-Dosari, who is recovering from an injury, and Saud Abdulhamid, a defender for French club Lens.

Former Saudi international Saeed Al-Owiran said to AFP: 'The time for excuses is over, and the Saudi sports community will not accept anything less than gold as a substitute on the soil of the homeland.'

Saleh Khalifa, the former captain of the Saudi national team, considered that the Gulf Cup represents an important test for the current generation before hosting the AFC Asian Cup 2027, emphasizing the need to instill a culture of victory among players through official competitions.

The Saudi national team has a long history in the Gulf Cup, having participated in all editions since the tournament's inception in 1970, except for the 1990 edition, and has won the title three times in 1994, 2002, and 2003.

The "Green" has played 119 matches in the tournament, achieving 61 victories, 26 draws, and 32 losses, with its players scoring 179 goals.

Majed Abdullah tops the list of Saudi Arabia's all-time scorers in the Gulf Cup with 17 goals, followed by Yasser Al-Qahtani with 10 goals.