Image Credit: Getty, Dan Orlowitz
SAUDI ARABIA – ABDULRAHMAN AL YAMI
Despite coming into the tournament with low expectations and falling to Senegal in their World Cup opening match, Saudi Arabia made it to the Round of 16 off of a strong win against Ecuador and a scrappy draw against a shorthanded United States.
The key behind their good results was Al Hilal youth star Abdulrahman Al Yami, whose dribbling abilities spearheaded the team’s attack. Without his brace against Ecuador, both served up by teammate Ayman Al Khulaif, Saudi Arabia would never have reached the knockout stage where they were narrowly defeated by Uruguay.