Saudi Arabia's victory over Argentina in their opening game of the World Cup 2022 is a football match that will live long in the memory of their player and fans. For almost everyone, that is.
The truth is, Saudi Arabia midfielder Yasser Al-Shahrani may not remember the game at all, having suffered a brutal head injury during the match. The player was down injured on the field for several minutes in the dying moments of the game, following a collision with his own goalkeeper.
The incident cast a shadow on an otherwise glorious day for the underdogs, who came from a goal behind to topple Lionel Messi's side, who were among the tournament favourites before it kicked off.
The win was so shocking, it had led many to revise their predictions when it comes to Argentina's chances of lifting the title in December.
But while Saudi Arabia's fans celebrated the unlikely win, Yasser Al-Shahrani had to undergo emergency surgery on the broken jaw sustained in the match. Saudi Arabia's FA announced that Al-Shahrani would be "heading to the National Guard Hospital in Riyadh and will undergo surgery in the coming few hours as per the medical staff's recovery plan."
Later on, the defender provided an update on his health from his hospital bed, stating in a video on social media, “I wanted to assure you that I am okay. Pray for me. And congratulations to our Saudi fans on the win. You deserve it.”
With the player recovering well, his team-mates paid an emotional tribute to him ahead of their second match of the World Cup 2022. Prior to kick off against Poland, they held up a shirt adorned with "Yasser" and the player's squad number.
