Saudi Arabia has declared Wednesday a national holiday, as its seismic 2-1 World Cup win over Lionel Messi's Argentina was celebrated as a coming of age on the Jeddah Corniche by the Red Sea, in the heart of the capital Riyadh, and in towns and villages across the country.
The remarkable victory of the national football team was viewed as both a triumph on the field and a watershed moment on the global sports stage, where the regional power has long sought a place in the spotlight.
Outsiders against an Argentine team on a 36-match winning streak certainly delivered that, and it was all that mattered to Saudi leaders and fans who circled public squares in convoys of cars, waving the country's green flag and proclaiming a new era of international football on Tuesday afternoon and evening.
The government declared a public holiday for all state employees "and the private sector, as well as male and female students at all educational levels" on Tuesday evening.
"We are overjoyed with the outcome. "Our falcons performed admirably," said Ghassan Alwan, 42, marketing director at the Saudi Ministry of Housing. "Our faith in our players was justified. Tonight, we made history."
"Incredible, massive, amazing, fantastic," sports editor Abdulrahman Abed added. "Congratulations to all. This means a great deal to every Saudi. This will provide a significant boost to every Arabic team competing in the World Cup."
The euphoria reached Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's inner circle, who was photographed embracing his brothers after the final whistle, as well as sports cafes and public parks across the country.
Universities were given the afternoon off for students to watch the game. City streets were almost abandoned. Women joined men in many cafes and restaurants – a new phenomenon in the desert kingdom – to take in the most unlikely of victories.
"What an incredible victory for the Saudi national team," Riyadh doctor Adel Al-Akeely said. "A lot has changed in our country, with many new accomplishments and an ambitious drive to become the best that we can be." Moments like this bring these changes to life and remind us how proud we are of our youth.
Saudis have long resisted the notion that a love of sports and a desire to attract global events amounted to image laundering, with many sports fans insisting that they, too, wanted to compete internationally and pitch their national teams in the mix.
"All I want to tell you is stay relaxed, play your game, and do your thing," Prince Mohammed told the national team ahead of the game. However, few believed that this was just another game. This was a nation-building moment, a chance to turn a political tide in a country battered by criticism over human rights and geopolitical positions.
