Caio Lucas, the UAE forward, said he will “give my life” to the UAE’s bid to qualify for the World Cup.
The national team start their campaign in the Qualifier play-off in Doha on Saturday when they face Oman. They will then play Qatar on Tuesday at the same venue – the Jassim bin Hamad Stadium in the Al Sadd district of the Qatari capital.
The winners of the three-team group will advance to the finals in North America next summer. After Oman and Qatar shared a goalless draw in the opening game on Wednesday, a win and a draw would be enough for the national team to top the group.
Lucas is one of the main attacking threats for the national team, although he is working his way back to full fitness following injury.
The 31-year-old forward missed a series of matches for club side Sharjah at the start of the UAE Pro League campaign.
He was an exciting addition to the national team when he debuted in March, during the previous round of Asian qualifying. His strong bond with Cosmin Olaroiu, the coach, will likely enhance his importance to the national team.
Lucas was the focal point for a Sharjah side who enjoyed a trophy-laden spell under Olaroiu’s management, before the Romanian left to take up the vacant role as manager of the national team at the end of last season.
Now he hopes to help fire the UAE to a first appearance at the World Cup since 1990.
“For me, it is a pleasure to be in the national team and I just want to give back what they have given to me. I will give my life to win these two games,” Lucas said.
“What is past is past. Now we have another two games and we are focused on this, not on results that have already gone, and we will do everything we can to win.”
Lucas’s debut in international football, against Iran in Tehran earlier this year, had felt a long time coming. Born in Brazil and having spent some of his formative years in Japan, he first arrived at Al Ain from Kashima Antlers nine years ago.
He briefly left the country to play for Benfica in Portugal, before swiftly returning to join Sharjah. Across his stints with Al Ain and Sharjah, he has scored 119 goals.
Not all of the overseas-born players in the UAE squad have had quite such lengthy service in domestic football.
Nicolas Gimenez, for example, has timed his run to the national team perfectly to make a contribution in its most crucial matches.
The Al Wasl midfielder qualified to represent his adopted country this summer. He featured in the last international window, when UAE played friendlies against Syria and Bahrain in Dubai, but the play-offs fixtures will be his first taste of competitive international football.
He is in no doubt about the importance of the task ahead. “I feel excited, and all the players do,” Gimenez said.
“This will be my first time playing official games, but even for the friendlies I was prepared to fight. The players who were picked for the camp all felt this way.”
The 29-year-old midfielder first arrived in the UAE from his native Argentina in 2020 when he joined Baniyas, the Abu Dhabi-based Pro League club, initially on a loan deal.
He later switched to Dubai's Al Wasl and was a central figure when they completed the domestic double in 2023/24.
After he was granted citizenship earlier this year, he said it confused his family and friends back in Argentina, but that they now want the UAE to succeed because of him.
“They feel it is maybe strange, but when I told them I received the passport I told them my dream was to represent the national team now,” Gimenez said.
“I have stayed here five years and for those five years I have prepared a lot. I felt very happy. I have waited a long time to play in the national team.
“When I received the passport I was very happy and then when I received the call-up up also. We just wanted to prepare in the best way to take this chance.
“Everybody who is in the [squad] list wants to take this chance. We don’t want to miss this chance.”
