Al Ain forward Jires Kembo-Ekoko has said the UAE national team’s future is “very bright” with Omar Abdulrahman and Ali Mabkhout leading the side.
Al Ain playmaker Abdulrahman and Al Jazira striker Mabkhout were two of the standout performers at the recent 2015 Asian Cup in Australia as the UAE claimed bronze, eliminating previous champions Japan in the process.
Abdulrahman was considered in the running for the Player of the Tournament award, which eventually went to Australia’s Massimo Luongo, while Mabkhout won the Golden Boot as the tournament’s top-scorer with five goals.
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In an interview with the Arabian Gulf League website, Kembo-Ekoko was asked his thoughts on the UAE team.
“Omar Abdulrahman and Ali Mabkhout are the best UAE players for me,” he said. “I believe that Omar has still not yet reached his potential and can achieve more.
“I’m sure that the future of the UAE National Team is very bright with these two players.”
Having spent last season on-loan at Qatari club El-Jaish, Kembo-Ekoko returned to Al Ain for the current campaign and has helped the club to the top of the league, as well as top of their Asian Champions League group.
Despite the fine position Al Ain find themselves in, the French forward was keen to point out that they have won nothing yet.
“I feel very comfortable and happy here with Al Ain, but I haven’t reached my targets yet with the team and I still have a lot more to give and to achieve,” he said. “The most important thing for me is for us to be victorious in the different competitions in which we are competing.”
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