Saudi Arabia are exactly where head coach Juan Antonio Pizzi wants them to be at this stage of their preparation for the 2019 AFC Asian Cup, a press release said.
With just 11 days to go before the continental showpiece kicks off, Pizzi said the players selected are the best to carry Saudi Arabia's challenge in the UAE.
"We have been watching and evaluating the performance of each player with his club and we examined all possibilities as to what they can provide to the team," Pizzi told the Saudi Arabian Football Federation website.
"We also took into consideration whether they participated in previous training camps and know the way the technical staff work," he added.
Three-time champions Saudi Arabia are in Group E of the AFC Asian Cup with Qatar, Lebanon and DPR Korea.
The last of their triumphs came in 1996 when the AFC Asian Cup was also hosted by the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia are hoping to repeat history, especially after their 2018 World Cup campaign which they ended on a high note despite suffering a 5-0 defeat to Russia in their opening match.
Pizzi was the mastermind behind the rebound, which saw Saudi Arabia defeat Egypt 2-1 in their final group game, and the Argentine is now aiming for successful Asian Cup campaign.
"We believe we have selected the best players for the squad and the focus now is on making sure we are ready. In terms of preparation, the squad is exactly where we wanted them to be at this stage," he said.
"I think these players are in their best technical and physical form at the moment. We are determined to show an outstanding level. I am sure we can do well at the AFC Asian Cup."
Saudi Arabia open their campaign against DPR Korea on January 8 and then play Lebanon four days later and Qatar on January 17.
