By Opta Analyst | Created at 2026-06-14 09:09:50 | Updated at 2026-06-14 10:49:34
1 hour ago
Set to start their FIFA World Cup campaign in Miami, we look ahead to Monday’s Group H clash with our Saudi Arabia vs Uruguay prediction and preview.
Saudi Arabia vs Uruguay: The Key Insights
- Favourites by a significant margin, the Opta supercomputer has given Uruguay a 64.7% chance of winning their group opener.
- With a modest 13.9% chance of success, Saudi Arabia aren’t fancied to repeat their shock result against Argentina in the opening round of Qatar 2022.
- Only three men have managed more teams at the World Cup than Uruguay boss Marcelo Bielsa (3), but his sides have never scored more than once in a game.
The inaugural World Cup winners and the 2034 hosts will meet in Miami on Monday, as Uruguay vie with Saudi Arabia in their Group H opener.
Saudi Arabia mostly struggled through AFC qualifying, finishing a distant third in the penultimate phase before beating Iraq and Indonesia to top spot in round four.
Scoring just 10 goals in 12 matches led to the departure of manager Hervé Renard – who led them to Qatar in 2022 – and Greek coach Georgios Donis took over.
Results have been mixed so far, as Donis lost his first game to Ecuador, before beating Puerto Rico 3-0 and drawing 0-0 with Senegal in pre-tournament friendlies.
Despite shockingly beating eventual winners Argentina in their first game at the 2022 World Cup, Saudi Arabia have lost 68% of their previous matches at the tournament (13/19), which is the worst rate of any nation to have played 15+ games.
They’ve also kept just one clean sheet, a famous 1-0 win against Belgium in 1994, when Saeed Al Owairan’s solo goal took them beyond the group phase for the only time to date.
Now, they must try to emulate that feat as they return to North America, and hopes will largely rest on the shoulders of two men.
Feras Al Brikan was their top scorer in qualifying with five goals, including a brace in the crucial 3-2 win over Indonesia. Meanwhile, reigning Asian Player of the Year Salem Al Dawsari – who scored that goal against Argentina – remains influential at the age of 34.
Before the Saudis face Group H favourites Spain and underdog debutants Cape Verde, a second World Cup clash with Uruguay awaits.
The first encounter came in the 2018 group stage, where Uruguay won 1-0 with a goal from Luis Suárez, but the South American nation don’t tend to start well.
La Celeste have won just one of their last eight World Cup openers (D4 L3), while they’ve experienced two troubled years under veteran coach Marcelo Bielsa.
A true maverick, this will be his third World Cup. He’s managed each of those with a different national side, after doing so with home country Argentina in 2002 and Chile eight years later.
Bielsa’s boys must bear the burden of a stellar – albeit distant – history: champions in 1930 and 1950, Uruguay are one of only six nations to win the World Cup multiple times.
Set for a fifth straight appearance, Uruguay now hope to beat their best performance since that 1950 triumph – fourth place in 1954, 1970 and again in 2010.
Uruguay also finished fourth in CONMEBOL qualifying, notably being the only team to defeat Argentina away from home, but otherwise struggled when on the road.
Darwin Núñez was directly involved in the most goals (five goals, two assists) while only Colombia star James Rodríguez (seven) set up more than Maxi Araújo (four) across the whole marathon process.
Núñez should lead Uruguay’s front line on Monday, but fitness doubts surround chief creator Giorgian de Arrascaeta, plus Ronald Araujo and captain José María Giménez. If the latter sits out, vice-captain Federico Valverde will wear the armband.
For their part, Saudi Arabia are still missing first choice goalkeeper Nawaf Al Aqidi, so experienced deputy Mohammed Al Owais could be asked to step in.
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Saudi Arabia vs Uruguay Head-to-Head
This will be just the second World Cup meeting between these two, with Uruguay winning 1-0 in Rostov eight years ago; Luis Suárez scored the lone goal following an error by Al Owais.
They’ve also played one friendly, in October 2014, which ended 1-1 at King Fahd Stadium in Riyadh.
Saudi Arabia vs Uruguay Prediction
After 25,000 pre-match simulations, the Opta supercomputer predicted success for Uruguay, with the South American side having a 64.7% chance of victory.
Saudi Arabia start as long shots: only prevailing in 13.9% of those simulations, leaving a draw rated at 21.4%.
Saudi Arabia vs Uruguay Squads
Saudi Arabia: Nawaf Al Aqidi, Mohammed Al Owais, Ahmed Al Kassar, Ali Majrashi, Ali Lajami, Abdulelah Al Amri, Hassan Al Tambakti, Saud Abdulhamid, Nawaf Bu Washl, Hassan Kadish, Moteb Al Harbi, Jehad Thikri, Nasser Al Dawsari, Musab Al Juwayr, Aiman Yahya, Salem Al Dawsari, Abdullah Al Khaibari, Ziyad Al Johani, Alaa Al Hejji, Mohamed Kanno, Mohammed Abu Al Shamat, Feras Al Brikan, Saleh Al Shehri, Khalid Al Ghannam, Abdullah Al Hamddan, Sultan Mandash.
Uruguay: Sergio Rochet, Santiago Mele, Fernando Muslera, José María Giménez, Sebastián Cáceres, Ronald Araujo, Guillermo Varela, Mathías Olivera, Matías Viña, Joaquín Piquerez, Santiago Bueno, Manuel Ugarte, Rodrigo Bentancur, Nicolás de la Cruz, Federico Valverde, Giorgian de Arrascaeta, Facundo Pellistri, Emiliano Martínez, Maxi Araújo, Juan Manuel Sanabria, Rodrigo Zalazar, Darwin Núñez, Agustín Canobbio, Brian Rodríguez, Rodrigo Aguirre, Federico Viñas.
Saudi Arabia vs Uruguay Predicted Lineups
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