Former national football team coach Mahdi Ali said that the UAE national team has the chance to win the 26th Arabian Gulf Cup scheduled to be held in Kuwait next December, wishing all the best for “Al-Abyad” in qualifying for the second round of the tournament and winning the championship, after being drawn by the draw that was drawn today. Saturday in Kuwait in the first group, alongside the teams of Kuwait, Qatar and Oman.
Mahdi Ali added in statements to Sharjah Sports Channel: “The two groups are equal and the participating teams are all close in level, and therefore it is difficult to predict the current stage in the tournament.”
The tournament matches will be held during the period from December 21 to January 3, noting that the second group included the teams of Iraq, the “defending champion,” Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and Yemen.
Mahdi Ali explained: “I thank the Arabian Gulf Cup Federation for inviting me to attend the draw ceremony, with my wishes for the brothers in Kuwait to organize a tournament worthy of the actual level of the Arabian Gulf Cup,” and I also thank the Federation for the good organization of the draw.”
Regarding his opinion on the chances of the teams participating in the competition for the title, Mahdi Ali said: “In the Arabian Gulf Cup tournaments, everything is expected because the levels of all the teams participating in it are equal and therefore their chances are all equal, and there is also equality in the draw between the two groups.”
He continued, “The tournament brought out generations in football at the international level. The tournament is strong and has a character and status among all Gulf people. For this reason, there is great competition and a great desire among all teams to obtain their title.”
Regarding the most difficult moment he experienced in the Arabian Gulf Cup tournament when he was coach of the UAE national team, Mahdi Ali said: “All moments are difficult in the tournament and in any match because this game has great pressure and therefore all moments in it are difficult, especially in the final matches.”
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