The head coach of the national team, Romanian Olaru Cosmin, confirmed that the "White" team is ready to face Iraq in the first leg of the World Cup 2026 playoff, stating that the shock of the loss to Qatar will be a motivation for the team's players to win and advance to the next stage of the qualifiers.
Cosmin said at a press conference yesterday at Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium in Al Jazira Club, Abu Dhabi: "We are playing one of the most important matches in the history of UAE football, and we know we have to give our all in this match, especially as we will be playing against a very organized team. Therefore, we must be fully focused and not be affected by the result of the previous playoff match."
In response to a question about how to deal with crosses and the danger of Iraqi striker Ayman Hussein, he said: "We will focus on stopping all players, not just Ayman Hussein. We have studied the way the Iraqi team plays, as small details will decide the match, which makes us approach the game in full focus."
He added: "The Iraqi team includes many distinguished players in European leagues, and in this stage of the qualifiers, we must avoid making mistakes."
As for how to overcome the setback in the match against Qatar and its impact on the players' morale, he said: "Pain is the best teacher in life, and it was undoubtedly difficult to get over this loss and miss our chance to qualify directly for the World Cup. I fully understand the players' suffering and sadness after this match, but we fully trust in the players' ability to perform well in our matches against Iraq. Perhaps thanks to my experience and age, I was able to get over this loss, and at the same time, I see that it should be a motivation to achieve a win."
He continued: "The visit of the President of the Football Federation, His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, to the team's training is a great morale booster for the players. He spoke to me directly after our match against Qatar, and undoubtedly, it plays a big role in motivating the players."
Regarding the tickets being sold out three days before the match, he spoke about the UAE fans and said: "What made us sadder is the fans we wish to make happy. We are always happy with the fans' continued support, and certainly, they are our main engine against Iraq."
In turn, national team player Yahya Nader said that the match against Iraq is one of the most important milestones in the "White" team's history, emphasizing the players' readiness and their desire to make the fans happy by achieving a win.
He explained: "After the last match, the players have the desire to make up for it, and we will hold on to our chance to qualify for the World Cup. We need to deal with the situation with great focus, especially as we will play the return match in Iraq, and the result of the two matches will determine who advances to the next stage."
Nader stressed that the role of the fans will be significant, noting: "We thank the fans for their constant support and assure them that we will fight for victory and their joy."
