The opinion of former national team coach, Dr. Abdulla Masfara, about the upcoming match away against the Iranian team in the context of the qualifying tournament for the 2026 World Cup, is favorable. He believes that Paulo Bento, the head coach of the team, must correctly select the squad for this match to increase chances of victory.
The national team occupies third place in the group with 10 points, behind the first-placed Iranian team with 16 points and the second-placed Uzbek team with 13 points. Masfara emphasized that the latest football results support the ambitions of the players on their way to the World Cup. He also noted the strengthening of the national team due to the recent addition of new players, such as Luka Pimentel and Alladin Zukhayr, as well as improvements in the attack with the inclusion of Kai Lucas and Juan Pereira.
Masfara pointed out that the national team is in a new state with the arrival of new players, who have a significant impact on the championship of their clubs. He expressed concern about the negative situation when important players might end up on the bench, as Bento faces selections due to information obtained from players performing in their clubs.
The national team recently held an internal gathering in Dubai in the Jebel Ali area, where 27 players were invited to prepare for matches against Iran and North Korea. Masfara emphasized that the current situation of the team is unique in light of numerous changes that have occurred over the past two years, reaching 90%.
He also noted that although the team is of quality, it should hold friendly matches to evaluate players and the level of their interactions, at least one friendly match before games against Iran and North Korea, so that the coach can lead to an increase in players’ growth and mutual understanding, as well as on preferences of one player over another.
