Between genius and arrogance: will Guardiola's mind spoil Donis's successes with Saudi Arabia?

Reaching the final was no accident. It was the product of tireless work by Donis from the moment he took charge of the Saudi Arabia national team, roughly two months before the start of the 2026 World Cup in America, Canada and Mexico.

The Greek coach set about transforming the Saudis entirely, above all their identity: controlling the game and attacking opponents by every means possible.

That identity was precisely what had angered Saudi fans under the former coach, Frenchman Hervé Renard. He favoured defensive football and handed possession to the opposition, whatever their strength.

Donis has delivered on his aim, and nowhere was it clearer than at Gulf Cup 27. Saudi Arabia dominated the lot: Kuwait, Oman and Iraq, and even Qatar in the semi-final despite not scoring.

Here is the irony. Only a few months earlier, under Renard, Saudi Arabia had struggled badly against those very same teams. The Greek coach's work has borne fruit.

But the Greek coach's biggest problem lies in how he handles success, both in the immediate aftermath and over the longer term.

Rather than keeping faith with the shape that brought him success, Donis always tinkers, chopping and changing at both the individual and collective level. It's a trait well known in the legendary Spanish coach Pep Guardiola, who suffered badly for it too.

Nowhere was the crisis clearer than at the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico. It began with the first-round meeting with Uruguay, which finished 1-1.

Saudi Arabia could not have started better. They scored the opener and bossed proceedings, only for Donis to sit deep in the second half. The decision invited a flurry of chances, and only goalkeeper Mohammed Al-Owais spared them defeat.

The same story unfolded in the second match. Donis ripped up the style he had drilled throughout the build-up to the World Cup, fielding five defenders instead of four. The result was a 4-0 hammering in a one-sided contest.

Donis has rotated heavily throughout this Gulf Cup, freshening up his side for every match. That's understandable given the congestion and a game every three days.

His boldest call came in the semi-final against Qatar. The Greek coach dropped Mohammed Abu Al-Shamat, a player he had leaned on across the previous three matches at full-back and on the wing alike.

Stranger still, Donis left out Nawaf Boushal, who had started two of the three group games, and handed Mohammed Mahzari his first ever appearance for the Saudi national team.

Mahzari was perhaps not the reason behind the draw or the blank in front of goal. But he served as a warning sign of a coach who loves sudden changes, the sort that catch his own players off guard before the opposition.

Saudi fans now fear that same instinct could resurface in Tuesday's final against the UAE. They can ill afford any kind of gamble.

The Saudis are chasing a first title in 23 years, since lifting the Arabian Gulf Cup back in 2003. Five final defeats have followed.