Riyadh, Saudi Arabia: The president of Saudi Arabia's Football Federation has announced his resignation after the Green Falcons were knocked out of the World Cup in the first round.
Saudi Arabia finished bottom of Group H with two points, after two draws against Uruguay (1-1) and Cape Verde (0-0), and a heavy 4-0 defeat to Spain.
"The failure of the national team to qualify for the next round of the World Cup is a result that falls short of all our ambitions, and I bear full responsibility for it. I offer my apologies to everyone who hoped to see our team in a better position," Yasser al-Misehal wrote on X late Sunday.
"A sense of responsibility requires giving the opportunity to open a new chapter, and I have decided not to continue until the end of my current term," he added.
At the head of the federation for seven years, Misehal played a central role in Saudi Arabia's successful bid to host the 2034 World Cup, a cornerstone of its strategy to diversify an economy heavily dependent on oil.
