Khalid Essa has urged the UAE to write their name “in history in golden letters” as they make a last push for World Cup qualification.
The national team will face Oman at the Jassim Bin Hamed Stadium in Doha on Saturday night. They then face hosts Qatar in the final match of the three-team play-off on Tuesday.
The top side in the group will qualify for the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Mexico and Canada. For the UAE, that would mean a first appearance at the finals in 36 years.
Essa, the UAE goalkeeper and captain, was nine months old when the country made its lone appearance at a World Cup in 1990 in Italy.
In his 14-year career with the national team he has experienced a variety of near misses in their bid to get back to the World Cup. Now, he is urging his colleagues to take their chance.
“It’s the purpose of every team, of every player to put in 110 per cent in the next two games,” Essa said.
“Because, I’ll be honest with you, there are many players in the Qatar, Oman and UAE national teams who may not have this chance again.
“We’re fully focused on this game, regardless of all the elements that we may encounter, elements that have nothing to do with the pitch itself.
“[We have] 27 players who are fully ready, fully motivated, and fully passionate about participating in these games, even if it were for just one minute, so that their name goes down in history in golden letters, and write history for the next generations to come.”
The UAE would book their trip to North America with a draw and a win. But defeat against Oman would immediately rule them out of winning the group, after the other two sides played out a 0-0 draw in Wednesday’s opener.
Carlos Queiroz, the Oman coach, acknowledged that he will have to make changes to freshen up the side who battled heroically for that point against Qatar.
They have had a three-day turnaround from that game, which is the same timetable that will be facing the UAE ahead of their final match.
Cosmin Olaroiu, the UAE coach, said all 27 players in his squad are fit and ready to go, and Essa is confident their coach will work out a suitable formula for juggling their playing resources.
“These are the two most important games in the career and the history of all our players, 180 minutes for which we have worked very hard,” Essa said.
“The atmosphere is very positive in the team and the delegation here. We are fully ready, fully prepared.
“The level of performance of our national team after coach Cosmin has taken over is increasing, and all the minute and little technical details are being worked upon.”
Coincidentally, the play-off matches are being played at the home ground of Al Sadd, the Qatari club who Olaroiu once coached.
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UAE players train ahead of their World Cup qualifier against Oman at the Jassim Bin Hamed Stadium in Doha, Qatar. All images Chris Whiteoak / The National -
Khalid Essa trains at the Jassim Bin Hamed Stadium -
Erik trains with the UAE team for the World Cup qualifier on Saturday -
UAE head coach Cosmin Olaroiu oversees training -
The UAE prepare to take on Oman on Saturday -
Yahia Nader trains at the Jassim Bin Hamed Stadium -
Majed Hassan during training in Doha
The Romanian was in charge of Al Sadd for the 2009-2010 season, before moving on to Al Ain and beginning his 14-year association with football in the Emirates.
After becoming the most successful coach in the history of the club game in the UAE, Olaroiu took over as the national team coach at the end of last season, filling the role vacated by Paulo Bento.
Upon taking the role, he immediately made it clear that the players had to sacrifice for the national cause, and he has reiterated that he wants them to grasp history.
“We are in front of the most important game in our life,” Olaroiu said.
“In football, we have this opportunity. During this period, the work that we have done, we have made us to believe in what we built, in what we see, in what we feel, and give us hope that we'll be able to do this qualification.
“It will not be easy. We have a tough opponent tomorrow. We have to be clever enough to not let them develop their abilities.
“They are a well-prepared team, very organised and have a very good coach. But we have to be ready to face this game.”
Olaroiu was impressed by the spirit Oman showed against Qatar, when they were good value for the draw despite having just 29 per cent of possession.
“Of course, they will fight because for them is not less important than for us,” Olaroiu said.
“We know they will fight, we saw the games they play. It is a team that has a wonderful spirit, but of course we have to fight back and we have to fight more than them. And I think we are able to do this.”
