International news: The national team of the UAE is preparing for the match against Iran
The head coach of the UAE national team, Paulo Bento, confirmed the readiness of the team before the match against Iran in the second round of the qualifying stage for the 2026 World Cup. Bento rejected the notion that the addition of four new players to the roster would weaken the team in the future.
"We are facing an important match in the qualifying phase for the World Cup, and we know that it will be a difficult and challenging encounter against a strong opponent on their field and in front of their public," Bento said.
He added that Iran is one of the strongest teams in Asia, and the team needs to learn from previous matches against them. Referring to the new players in the squad - Caio Lucas, Luan Pereira, Jonatas Santos, and Alaa Dinu Zakhir, Bento rejected that they are significant additions to the squad.
In the training camp, everything is going well, except for the fact that Hant Makkenzi recently joined the team. The coach emphasized that the UAE national team will be fighting for a place in the 2026 World Cup and believes in the chances of success, but it is essential to focus on each match individually.
Bento also discussed the continuity of the current national team squad, noting that he is one of the shortest tenured coaches in recent times. Nevertheless, the coach emphasized that the team will be ready for the game against Iran and in the subsequent match against North Korea.
