After Saudi Arabia drew 0-0 with Cape Verde in the final group match of the FIFA World Cup, defender Nawaf Al-Boushal was interviewed in the FIFA mixed zone.

For you and experienced players like Absharat, this may be your third or fourth major tournament representing the national team. It seems we always find ourselves in the same situation at the Arab Cup, the Gulf Cup, and the Asian Cup—we participate and then get eliminated. Can you explain what exactly happened in this tournament?

First, in the name of Allah, the Merciful. All of this is destiny. We did our best and worked hard to do what needed to be done and more. But the final result is determined by Allah. Of course, being eliminated from this tournament is not a good thing, especially in a competition like this. But this is the predetermined result. We hope to make up for it in the future, God willing.

After the elimination, what do you want to say to Saudi fans? From the first match to the last, the fans have always been there to support you. What do you want to tell them?

No matter how much we thank the Saudi fans, it will never be enough. They gave us tremendous support, both in person and through screens. May Allah bless them, and we sincerely thank them. We hope Allah allows us to achieve good results in the coming matches and make them happy.

Today, the Saudi team exited the tournament under the new 48-team format, whereas in the past we participated in the 32-team format. Do you think today's result can be called a failure?

First, thank you for your question. No, there is no such thing as failure in football. We have worked hard and kept trying, but, as I said, everything is in Allah's hands. As long as you are still trying, still competing, and have made it this far, it cannot be called a failure. Of course, our objective is not just to participate. But, by Allah's grace, this is destiny. We hope that in the coming matches we can reach a higher stage and make the fans happy.

The FIFA World Cup 2034 will be held in Saudi Arabia. Will the Saudi team achieve better results playing at home then?

We hope Allah allows us all to see that day. But before that, we need to perform well in the current matches and then think about the future. We can discuss this topic later.

First, I'd like you to speak about your injury. Also, my question is: did the late change of coach put a lot of pressure on you? The new coaching staff, medical team, and management team—did these changes have a negative impact on you?

God willing, my condition should not be serious. I will undergo the necessary tests and hope everything goes well. As for your point about the late change of coach, I don't think there is such a thing as "too late," and it's not something we can decide. The Saudi Football Federation is responsible for those decisions, and we support each one of them. God willing, we will make up for any shortcomings in the future.

We worked with the coaching staff for only a month, and I'm not saying that's the reason for the elimination, but the cooperation period was indeed very short. I hope his philosophy became clearer, and I hope these things will play a role in the coming matches and make the Saudi people happy.

Traduzido por IA.

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