Sri Lanka

Saudi Arabia has said Wednesday will be a national holiday as on the Jeddah Corniche by the Red Sea, in the heart of the capital Riyadh and in towns and villages across the country its seismic 2-1 World Cup win over Lionel Messi’s Argentina was celebrated as a coming of age.The national football side’s remarkable victory is being seen as both a triumph on the pitch and an epochal moment on a global stage, where a regional power has long sought a place in the spotlight.Outsiders against an Argentine team on a 36-match winning streak surely delivered that and, on Tuesday afternoon and evening, it was all that mattered to Saudi leaders and the fans who circled public squares in convoys of cars, waving the country’s green flag and proclaiming a new era of international football.The public holiday will be for all state employees “and the private sector, and male and female students in all educational stages” the government announced on Tuesday evening.“We are so happy about the result.

It was an exceptional match from our falcons,” said Ghassan Alwan, 42, marketing director at the Saudi Ministry of Housing.

“Our faith in our players was in the right place.

We wrote history tonight.”“Incredible, massive, amazing, fantastic,” added Abdulrahman Abed, a sports editor.

“Congratulations to everyone.

This means a lot to every Saudi.

This will give a huge boost to every Arabic team in the World Cup.”Euphoria reached the inner circle of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who was pictured embracing his brothers after the full-time whistle, as well as sports cafes and public parks across the country.Universities were given the afternoon off for students to watch the game.

City streets were almost abandoned.

Women joined men in many cafes and restaurants – a new phenomenon in the desert kingdom – to take in the most unlikely of victories.“What an amazing win for the Saudi national team,” said Adel Al-Akeely, a Riyadh doctor.

“There’s a lot that’s been changing in our country, many new achievements and an ambitious drive to become the best that we can be.

Moments like this materialise these changes and remind you of how proud we are of our youth.Saudis have long bristled at the notion that a love of sports and a keenness to attract global events amounted to image laundering, with many sports fans insisting that they too wanted to experience international competition and pitch their national teams into the mix.Ahead of the match, Prince Mohammed told the national team: “All I want to tell you is stay relaxed, play your game and do your thing.” Few believed that this was just another game, however.

In a country battered by criticism over human rights and geopolitical positions, this was a nation-building moment, a chance to turn a political tide.After full-time, regional rivals embraced the Saudi win.

Dubai’s ruler, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum, tweeted congratulations.

Qatar’s emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, meanwhile, briefly draped himself in the Saudi flag – an image that put to rest five years of enmity in the lead-up to the World Cup, in which Prince Mohammed had boycotted Qatar and severed ties.That row is now firmly over and the Saudi victory was being received around the region as an achievement the Arab world could swing in behind.

In South America, though, the reaction was markedly different.There was shock and despair in Argentina as the final whistle went nearly 14,000km away in Qatar.

The Argentinian football magazine Olé lamented what it called “a world-wide whammy”.The newspaper Clarín said Argentina’s players had suffered “a historic walloping” after becoming “entangled in Saudi Arabia’s spider’s web”.“Incredible,” Olé announced beside a photograph of Lionel Messi cradling his face in his hands.The football writer Diego Macias called the result “a hammer blow … the likes of which will leave a long-lasting mark”.“Argentina lost much more than a game against Saudi Arabia,” Macias wrote.

“It forgot its footballing principles in the changing room and began the World Cup in the worst possible way.”In neighbouring Brazil, fans rejoiced over their arch footballing rival’s dismal performance.

A reworked version of Argentina’s triband flag – in which the yellow sun at the centre wept uncontrollably – went viral on social media.“What an embarrassment, Argentina,” tweeted the football commentator Luis Felipe Freitas.Brazilian newspapers pronounced Argentina the World Cup’s first “zebra” – a Portuguese expression that roughly translates as an unfathomable upset.

“Pigs flew!” said Rio’s O Globo newspaper.Allies of Brazil’s far-right president Jair Bolsonaro, meanwhile, blamed the fiasco on Argentina’s leftist leaders.“Socialism in Argentina has shattered the behaviour of its citizens to such an extent that they lost to Saudi Arabia in the cup,” tweeted the congressman and broadcaster Bibo Nunes.

“What you get with socialism/communism is a wasteland.” Source: The Guardian.

This article first appeared/also appeared in https://adaderana.lk 





Unlimited Portal Access + Monthly Magazine - 12 issues-Publication from Jan 2021


Buy Our Merchandise (Peace Series)

 


Contribute US to Start Broadcasting



It's Voluntary! Take care of your Family, Friends and People around You First and later think about us. Its Fine if you dont wish to contribute and if you wish to contribute then think about the Homeless first and Feed them. We can survive with your wishes too :-). You can Buy our Merchandise too which are of the finest quality.

Debit/Credit/UPI

UPI/Debit/Credit

Paytm


STRIPE


[Sri Lanka] - Sri Lanka, China sign 9 agreements on cooperation


Police open fire at group of robbers; one person dead


[Sri Lanka] - New liver care center of Ragama Teaching Hospital inaugurated


Sri Lanka anticipating private equity deals amounting to $250mn


Indian HC organizes conference to explore potential of digital public infrastructure for Sri Lanka


School education will be revamped by minimizing problem of assessments - President


[Sri Lanka] - Chinese premier holds talks with Sri Lankan PM; explore cooperation in tidy energy and telecom


Heat advisory provided for numerous provinces, districts


[Sri Lanka] - ACC reveals Women s Asia Cup 2024 in Sri Lanka


[Sri Lanka] - Sri Lanka to promote registration of ships under its flag


Court dismisses initial objections raised in Keheliya s misappropriation case


Five-member SC bench to hear petitions challenging Online Safety Act


Major US bridge collapses after being hit by Colombo-bound ship


[Sri Lanka] - CBSL guv discusses why Parate Law suspension bad for credit supply


[Sri Lanka] - Unique security plans for Good Friday and Easter Sunday


National minimum month-to-month wage to be increased by Rs. 5,000


Investigation ordered into assassination attempt on Magistrate Thilina Gamage


Veteran singer Chandra Kumara Kandanarachchi passes away


T-56 firearm reported missing from Wilgamuwa police station


Govt. to provide 10kg of rice to low-income families before Avurudu


Sri Lanka Central Bank further reduces policy rates


UN Security Council demands immediate ceasefire in Gaza after US abstains


Heavy showers anticipated in parts of the island


Sri Lanka s Chief of Defence Staff visits Kenya s Defence HQ


COPA instructs officials to instantly report importation of 102 spoiled fish containers to CID


Govt prioritizing overhaul of school education and exam systems - President


Buddha Sasana Ministry problems declaration over New Year auspicious times


Three injured in luxury bus accident on Kandy-Mahiyanganaya road


Heavy showers above 100mm expected in several areas tomorrow


Ex-President Maithripala leaves CID after tape-recording statement


Appeals Court quashes findings, suggestions of political victimisation commission


HC to deliver order on Keheliya s revision petition seeking bail


UN chief says there is growing consensus to tell Israel that a ceasefire is needed


Nine students hospitalized after clash at private education institute


5 including two students arrested for taking laptop computers from school s wise class


Cost of a cup of milk tea decreased


Sri Lankan PM arrives in China for official visit


Excise revenue up by 38.5% in February 2024


President reveals rapid development plans for overlooked Mahaweli A and B zones


Bandula s US tour cut short for no-confidence vote against Speaker


IMF representatives meet with Sajith Premadasa


Third day of argument on no-confidence motion against Speaker starts


[Sri Lanka] - Sri Lanka to begin speak with restructure bonds next week - report


15 consisting of schoolchildren injured in bus accident in Wellawaya


[Sri Lanka] - 19 suspects straight connected to the underworld arrested so far - Police


Underworld gunman injured in shootout with STF succumbs to injuries


A modification in dominating dry climate condition expected from today


Underworld gunman and STF member injured in shootout at Ganemulla


[Sri Lanka] - COPE assembles under Rohitha s chairmanship amidst string of member resignations


[Sri Lanka] - President Ranil reveals vision for rapid transformation into export economy


Intermittent fasting linked to high risk of cardiovascular death, study reveals


BIA records sharp increase, serving 850,000 travellers this year AASL Chairman


Vietnam s president resigns after just over a year in office


[Sri Lanka] - Update on Sri Lankans in Haiti amidst escalation of violence


33 including FSP s Duminda Nagamuwa and Lahiru Weerasekara arrested during protest


COPF recommends deferment of CBSL salary increase


Tear gas and water cannons fired at protesters in Pettah





68