Taisir Al-Jassim, former captain of Al-Ahli and the Saudi national team, called for adopting a long-term project to prepare the 'Falcons,' stressing that the Kingdom's hosting of the 2034 World Cup necessitates working now to build a generation capable of competing against the strongest teams in the world.

Al-Jassim's statements come after the Saudi national team's early exit from the 2026 World Cup, at a time when calls are increasing to restructure the team's technical project and establish a new vision to ensure a different appearance in upcoming tournaments, most notably the 2034 World Cup.

The former 'Green' star believes that the coming years represent a golden opportunity for the Saudi Football Federation to prepare a strong team, benefiting from sufficient time to discover and refine talents, instead of seeking temporary solutions before major tournaments.

Al-Jassim said in televised remarks: 'The Saudi Football Federation faces a new challenge of preparing a strong team to participate in the 2034 World Cup, and there is still enough time to achieve this goal if work is done properly in the coming years.'

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He affirmed that Saudi football does not suffer from a lack of talent, but rather needs an environment that helps these talents develop and reach the highest levels, noting that real investment should be in developing the local player.

He added: 'I believe that Saudi Arabia is full of talents, and the Saudi player does not lose his passion due to salaries or fame as some believe.'

Al-Jassim concluded his remarks by emphasizing that professionalism abroad represents the most important step in building a team capable of competing globally, saying: 'The Saudi player needs professionalism and exposure to European levels, because the difference in speed, physical strength, and competitive rhythm is very large, and this will help him develop and contribute to the team.'