Wednesday has been announced as a public holiday for all employees and students in Saudi Arabia after the national team’s historic victory over Argentina at the World Cup in Qatar.
King Salman approved a suggestion made by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to celebrate the national team’s victory with a holiday.
“The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud directed to approve what has been proposed by His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, that tomorrow, Wednesday, corresponding to 29/04/1444 AH, will be a holiday for all employees in all government sectors and private sector, as well as students in all educational stages, on the occasion of the Saudi national team’s victory against Argentine national team in the World Cup,” reads a statement by Government of Saudi Arabia.
Saudi Arabia beat Argentina to record one of the biggest shocks in World Cup history with a 2-1 win over Lionel Messi’s side thanks to a scintillating second-half comeback.
On his fifth and final quest for the only major trophy to elude him, the 35-year-old Messi scored a 10th-minute penalty in a dominant first-half display where he and Lautaro Martinez also had three goals disallowed for offside.
But Saudi Arabia, the second-lowest ranked team in the tournament after Ghana, threw caution to the wind at the start of the second half, charging at Argentina’s defence in front of a frenzied 88,012 crowd.
Saleh Al-Shehri squeezed in a low shot in the 48th minute while Salem Al-Dawsari curled in a scorching strike from the edge of the penalty area in the 53rd minute to leave Argentina and Messi looking utterly shell-shocked in the Group C opener.