Federico Valverde's Man of the Match award after Uruguay's 1-1 draw against Saudi Arabia at the 2026 FIFA World Cup quickly became a major talking point among football fans. While the midfielder earned praise for his effort in midfield, many supporters strongly disagreed with the decision to hand him the Michelob Ultra Superior Player of the Match award. Several fans believed Saudi Arabia goalkeeper Mohammed Al-Owais or defender Abdulelah Al-Amri deserved the honor after helping their side secure a valuable draw in the Group H opener.
Why football fans felt FIFA got the Man of the Match call wrong
Shortly after Valverde was announced as the Michelob Ultra Superior Player of the Match, social media quickly filled with criticism. Many fans argued that Saudi Arabia goalkeeper Mohammed Al-Owais was the real difference-maker after producing a string of important saves to frustrate Uruguay throughout the match.
Valverde, who captained Uruguay, remained active throughout the match and helped push the team forward as Uruguay searched for an equalizer. However, several supporters still felt his performance was not enough to justify the award.
One fan openly questioned the decision and wrote, “Should have been Saudi Arabia's goalkeeper Mohammed Al-Owais.” Another supporter reacted harshly, saying, “You saw the injustice when Valverde was awarded Man of the Match in that game. He honestly did nothing, while Al-Owais and Al-Amri were better than him. How can anyone trust FIFA when they are not even fair with the Man of the Match award.”
Several supporters also felt Valverde failed to make enough impact to deserve the recognition. One fan wrote, “Did Valverde deserve the best player award? He offered nothing. Do you see something we don't?” Another supporter criticized the decision and posted, “FIFA has lost all credibility. They favor Valverde and ignore the Saudi national team's goalkeeper!”
Mohammed Al-Owais earns fan support after strong display for Saudi Arabia
While criticism toward the award continued, many supporters shifted attention to Saudi Arabia goalkeeper Mohammed Al-Owais, with several calling him the true star of the match after making crucial saves in Saudi Arabia’s 1-1 draw against Uruguay.
One fan praised the goalkeeper and wrote, “The real player of that match was the Goalkeeper for Saudi Arabia! Big man was standing on his head and made at least 8 strong saves maybe more.” Another fan felt the decision was completely wrong and said, “Well this should have gone to Saudi's goalkeeper or Al-Amri for sure but this guy has absolutely stolen it.”
Popular football account HolaFernando also joined the debate and wrote, “Nothing against Valverde but the superior player of the match was Saudi Arabia's goalkeeper. VERY impressive.” While Valverde picked up the official award, fan reaction online made one thing clear: many supporters believed Saudi Arabia’s standout performers were overlooked after a memorable World Cup display.
