"Pigs flew!" announced a newspaper from Rio de Janeiro. "A dream has turned into a nightmare," read another. One Argentinian daily dubbed its national players "knights of anguish".

It is the kind of heartache that only global football can inspire. But Argentina's seismic loss to Saudi Arabia in the World Cup on Tuesday has roused emotions to new heights.

After all, pundits had cast Argentina as a potential tournament champion, whilst Saudi Arabia's odds were 1,000 to 1. Its team ranked second to last of all the competitors. Not only that, but the country had won only one World Cup game since 1998.

And so for the rejoicing Saudis drifting out of the match stadium in Qatar, euphoria was mixed with tangible surprise. Even their own Crown Prince had told them not to get their hopes up. 

This World Cup has been historic for the country in more than one way. To mark the event, travel restrictions were eased and women were allowed to join men in cafes and restaurants. Now, residents have been given a national holiday to celebrate the momentous win. Saudi Arabia seems set to continue surprising us.

In other ways, perhaps our surprise is misplaced. The Kingdom has been slowly but surely routing a path to stardom for years now, particularly through global sports.

It invested £305m in buying the UK's premier leagueEngland's highest level of men's football. football team Newcastle United, £540m in developing local athletes, and offered iconic player Cristiano Ronaldo a £305m deal to join a Saudi Arabian football club.¹

Outside of sports, too, the Gulf state is polishing its image. Its young Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman brands himself as a reformist who wants to crack down on extremism, increase freedoms for women and open up relationships with the rest of the world.²

Despite this, Saudi Arabia rarely gets positive press. The country has executed 17 men in the past two weeks alone and routinely ranks as the "worst of the worst" in surveys of civil and political rights.

Journalists and dissidentsPeople who publicly disagree with or criticise an authority or government, especially an oppressive one. face torture, persecution, exile and possible murder. Furthermore, a Saudi-led military coalition has been involved in a brutal conflict in YemenThe poorest country in the Gulf region is in the midst of a humanitarian crisis. for several years now.

For some, in a World Cup already mired in the allegations of human rights abuses by its host, Qatar, Saudi Arabia's unexpected win puts the icing on an already bitter cake. But others point out the hypocrisy: none of the other competitors have a very proud history either.

Argentina, for example, has been criticised for endemicCommon to a particular place or community. violence against women, police abuse, and poor prison conditions. Potential champion Brazil is accused of corruptionWhen someone abuses their power for personal gain. It often involves bribery. , torture and persecution, whilst England is fighting claims of human rights abuses against migrants. Some say the focus on Middle Eastern countries is mere prejudice.

In fact, ironically, football was historically a means of escape for Middle Eastern countries which were brutally colonised by Western powers. The game strengthened national identity and played a major role in their independence protests.

Yes: It is clear that the country is developing rapidly, and we could clearly gain from deepening our partnerships with it. Nowhere is perfect, and it is hypocritical to refuse to work with Saudi Arabia whilst disregarding the historic abuses of other global powers.

No: Supporting the economic development of Saudi Arabia would make us complicit in the human rights abuses reports suggest are perpetuated by the country. Many of us have put sanctions in place against Russia, for example, so why work with another country involved in a war?

Or... It depends how we interpret "embracing" Saudi Arabia. It has proven that it will continue to grow on the world stage, so it is clearly a permanent presence regardless of whether or not we actively support the country.