What Saudi Arabia’s football victory means for the Middle East

Muhammad bin Salman, the Saudi crown prince, summoned the national football team to deliver an odd pep talk: no one expects much from you. The Green Falcons were preparing for their sixth World Cup appearance. The past four ended in the group stage, with just a single win in 2018. This year they drew a tough bracket that included Argentina, a favourite to hoist the golden trophy.Prince Muhammad told the squad to “play without pressure”. The setting may have undermined the message; meeting a monarch with a ruthless reputation is not a low-pressure situation. Still, he sought to reassure. The kingdom had long-term hopes for its football programme, he said, but for now simply qualifying was victory enough. “We hope the future is better,” he concluded.