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United Arab Emirates national football team facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

The United Arab Emirates national football team (often called Al Abyad, meaning The Whites) represents the United Arab Emirates in men's international football. It is managed by the United Arab Emirates Football Association.

The team played in one World Cup in 1990 in Italy. They lost all three of their games there. The UAE team also achieved great results in the AFC Asian Cup, finishing fourth in 1992 and runners-up in 1996 when they hosted the tournament. They won the Arabian Gulf Cup twice, in 2007 and 2013. In the 2015 AFC Asian Cup, they came in third place. They also hosted the 2019 tournament, reaching the semi-finals.

Quick facts for kids
United Arab Emirates
Shirt badge/Association crest
Nickname(s) Al Abyad (The Whites)
Eyal Zayed (Sons of Zayed)
Association United Arab Emirates Football Association (UAE FA)
Confederation AFC (Asia)
Sub-confederation WAFF (West Asia)
Head coach Cosmin Olăroiu
Captain Khalid Eisa
Most caps Adnan Al Talyani (161)
Top scorer Ali Mabkhout (85)
Home stadium Various
FIFA code UAE
First colours
Second colours
FIFA ranking
Current 67 Increase 12 (7 February 2019)
Highest 40 (November – December 1998)
Lowest 138 (January 2012)
Elo ranking
Current 87 Decrease 16 (3 March 2019)
Highest 24 (15 January 2015)
Lowest 140 (September 1981)
First international
 United Arab Emirates 1–0 Qatar 
(Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; 17 March 1972)
Biggest win
 Brunei 0–12 United Arab Emirates 
(Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei; 14 April 2001)
Biggest defeat
 United Arab Emirates 0–8 Brazil 
(Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates; 12 November 2005)
World Cup
Appearances 1 (first in 1990)
Best result Group stage (1990)
Asian Cup
Appearances 12 (first in 1980)
Best result Runners-up (1996)
Arab Cup
Appearances 2 (first in 1998)
Best result Fourth place (1998)
Arabian Gulf Cup
Appearances 24 (first in 1972)
Best result Champions (2007, 2013)
Confederations Cup
Appearances 1 (first in 1997)
Best result Group stage (1997)
Medal record
Men's football
AFC Asian Cup
Silver 1996 UAE Team
Bronze 2015 Australia Team
Asian Games
Silver 2010 Guangzhou Team
Bronze 2018 Jakarta Team
Arabian Gulf Cup
Gold 2007 UAE Team
Gold 2013 Bahrain Team
Silver 1986 Bahrain Team
Silver 1988 Saudi Arabia Team
Silver 1994 UAE Team
Silver 2017 Kuwait Team

Team History and Achievements

The UAE national football team played its first match on March 17, 1972. They won 1–0 against Qatar. After that, they played against other Arabian countries. They lost to Saudi Arabia and Kuwait but beat Bahrain.

Early Asian Cup Appearances

In 1980, the United Arab Emirates qualified for the AFC Asian Cup for the first time. The tournament was held in Kuwait. They drew one match and lost three, finishing ninth overall. They also qualified for the next two tournaments in 1984 and 1988. They were eliminated in the group stages both times. Their first win in the tournament was against India in 1984.

Reaching the World Cup

In 1990, the UAE team qualified for the 1990 FIFA World Cup in Italy. This was a huge achievement! However, they lost all three of their games in the tournament. Their journey to the World Cup was even made into a documentary called Lights of Rome.

Success in the 1990s and 2000s

The team continued to improve. In the 1992 and 1996 tournaments, they finished fourth and second, respectively. They also played in the 1997 FIFA Confederations Cup.

After a few tough years, the UAE team appointed Bruno Metsu as their new manager in 2006. He led them to win the 2007 Arabian Gulf Cup title.

Recent Achievements and Challenges

In 2012, Mahdi Ali, who had coached the Olympic team, became the manager of the senior team. He brought in many young players he had worked with before. Under his leadership, the UAE won their second Arabian Gulf Cup title in 2013.

At the 2015 AFC Asian Cup, the UAE had a great run. They beat Qatar and Bahrain in the group stage. In the quarter-finals, they defeated defending champions Japan in a penalty shootout. They lost to Australia in the semi-finals but won the third-place play-off against Iraq.

The UAE hosted the 2019 AFC Asian Cup again. They reached the semi-finals, where they lost to Qatar. In the 2022 World Cup qualifiers, the team faced some challenges. They brought in new players and coaches. They managed to reach the final playoff round but lost to Australia, missing out on the World Cup.

Team Rivalries

The UAE team has strong rivalries with other teams in the region. Their main rivals are Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman, and Iran.

Rivalry with Qatar

The matches against Qatar are always very competitive, especially in the Arabian Gulf Cup. These games have become even more intense over time. For example, in the 2019 AFC Asian Cup, Qatar beat the UAE 4–0. This was a big moment as Qatar had not beaten the UAE by such a large margin since 2001.

Rivalry with Saudi Arabia

Another big rival is Saudi Arabia. They have met many times in the Arabian Gulf Cup. They also played in two AFC Asian Cup matches. Saudi Arabia won in the semi-finals of the 1992 Asian Cup. In the 1996 final, which the UAE hosted, the game ended in a draw. Saudi Arabia won the trophy after a penalty shootout. When these two teams play in World Cup qualifiers, their matches are often called "clashes of titans."

Team Identity

Team Kit

The UAE's home kit is usually all white with some red details. Their away kit is all red with white details. In 2019, they also used black for their away kit for the first time, with some green details.

Manufacturer Period
United Kingdom Umbro 1979–1985
United Kingdom Admiral 1986–1989
Germany Adidas 1990–1994
Germany Puma 1995–1996
Spain Kelme 1997–1999
Germany Adidas 2000–2001
United Kingdom Umbro 2002–2005
Germany Adidas 2006–2008
Italy Erreà 2009–2013
Germany Adidas 2014–present

Team Nicknames

The team is known as Al-Abyad, which means "The Whites." This name comes from their white home jersey. They are also called Eyal Zayed, meaning "Zayed's sons," honoring the founder of the UAE.

Home Stadiums

The UAE national team plays its home games at various stadiums across the country. The most common venue is Zayed Sports City Stadium in Abu Dhabi. Other important stadiums include Al Jazira Stadium and Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium in Al Ain.

Recent Matches and Upcoming Games

Here are some of the recent match results and future games for the UAE national football team.

      Win       Draw       Loss       Fixture

Matches in 2024

  • June 6, 2024:    Nepal 0–4  United Arab Emirates (Win)
  • June 11, 2024:  United Arab Emirates 1–1  Bahrain (Draw)
  • September 5, 2024:  Qatar 1–3  United Arab Emirates (Win)
  • September 10, 2024:  United Arab Emirates 0–1  Iran (Loss)
  • October 10, 2024:  United Arab Emirates 1–1  North Korea (Draw)
  • October 15, 2024:  Uzbekistan 1–0  United Arab Emirates (Loss)
  • November 14, 2024:  United Arab Emirates 3–0  Kyrgyzstan (Win)
  • November 19, 2024:  United Arab Emirates 5–0  Qatar (Win)
  • December 21, 2024:  Qatar 1–1  United Arab Emirates (Draw)
  • December 24, 2024:  United Arab Emirates 1–2  Kuwait (Loss)
  • December 27, 2024:  United Arab Emirates 1–1  Oman (Draw)

Matches in 2025

  • March 20, 2025:  Iran 2–0  United Arab Emirates (Loss)
  • March 25, 2025:  North Korea 1–2  United Arab Emirates (Win)
  • June 5, 2025:  United Arab Emirates 0–0  Uzbekistan (Draw)
  • June 10, 2025:  Kyrgyzstan 1–1  United Arab Emirates (Draw)
  • October 11, 2025:  United Arab Emirates vs  Oman (Upcoming)
  • October 14, 2025:  Qatar vs  United Arab Emirates (Upcoming)
  • December 2025:  United Arab Emirates vs  Egypt (Upcoming)
  • December 2025:  United Arab Emirates vs  Jordan (Upcoming)
  • December 2025:  United Arab Emirates vs  Kuwait/ Mauritania (Upcoming)

Team Staff

The team has a dedicated staff to help them perform their best.

Last Update: April 2025

Position Name
Head coach Romania Cosmin Olăroiu
Assistant coach Romania Cătălin Necula
Romania Gabriel Caramarin
United Arab Emirates Yaser Al Saedi
United Arab Emirates Mohamed Al Balooshi
United Arab Emirates Rizwan Chaudhry
Goalkeeping coach Romania Eugen Nae
Fitness coach Brazil Leandro Alub
Scouting Brazil Ferdinando Montebello
Team administrator United Arab Emirates Mohamed Albalooshi
Media coordinator United Arab Emirates Salim Alnaqbi
Doctor Brazil Flavio Cruz
Interpreter United Arab Emirates Hussein Fakih
Match Analyst Canada Karim Tayara
Romania Rareş Ene

Current Players

Here are the players who were recently called up for the team.

Caps (games played) and goals are correct as of June 10, 2025.

No. Pos. Player Date of birth (age) Caps Goals Club
1 1GK Ali Khasif (1987-06-09) 9 June 1987 (age 38) 73 0 United Arab Emirates Al Jazira
17 1GK Khalid Eisa (captain) (1989-09-15) 15 September 1989 (age 35) 89 0 United Arab Emirates Al Ain
22 1GK Hamad Al-Meqebaali (2003-07-13) 13 July 2003 (age 22) 0 0 United Arab Emirates Shabab Al Ahli

2 2DF Saša Ivković (1993-05-13) 13 May 1993 (age 32) 1 0 United Arab Emirates Al Wahda
3 2DF Lucas Pimenta (2000-07-17) 17 July 2000 (age 25) 4 0 United Arab Emirates Al Wahda
4 2DF Kouame Autonne (2000-09-22) 22 September 2000 (age 24) 10 0 United Arab Emirates Al Ain
12 2DF Khalifa Al Hammadi (1998-11-07) 7 November 1998 (age 26) 53 2 United Arab Emirates Al Jazira
13 2DF Bader Nasser (2001-09-16) 16 September 2001 (age 23) 14 0 United Arab Emirates Shabab Al Ahli
14 2DF Abdulrahman Saleh (2002-10-13) 13 October 2002 (age 22) 3 0 United Arab Emirates Al Wasl
16 2DF Marcus Meloni (2000-06-25) 25 June 2000 (age 25) 10 1 United Arab Emirates Sharjah
19 2DF Alaeddine Zouhir (2000-03-07) 7 March 2000 (age 25) 1 0 United Arab Emirates Al Wahda

5 3MF Mohammed Abdulbasit (1995-10-19) 19 October 1995 (age 29) 6 0 United Arab Emirates Sharjah
6 3MF Abdullah Ramadan (1998-03-07) 7 March 1998 (age 27) 49 1 United Arab Emirates Al Jazira
7 3MF Ali Saleh (2000-01-22) 22 January 2000 (age 25) 43 6 United Arab Emirates Al Wasl
8 3MF Abdulla Hamad (2001-09-18) 18 September 2001 (age 23) 20 0 United Arab Emirates Al Wahda
9 3MF Harib Abdalla (2002-11-26) 26 November 2002 (age 22) 39 8 United Arab Emirates Shabab Al Ahli
10 3MF Yahya Al-Ghassani (1998-04-18) 18 April 1998 (age 27) 32 9 United Arab Emirates Shabab Al Ahli
15 3MF Yahia Nader (1998-09-11) 11 September 1998 (age 26) 21 0 United Arab Emirates Al Ain
21 3MF Luan Pereira (2000-04-21) 21 April 2000 (age 25) 3 0 United Arab Emirates Sharjah
3MF Fábio Lima (1993-06-30) 30 June 1993 (age 32) 40 17 United Arab Emirates Al Wasl
3MF Majed Hassan (1992-08-01) 1 August 1992 (age 32) 69 1 United Arab Emirates Sharjah

11 4FW Caio Canedo (1990-08-09) 9 August 1990 (age 34) 56 10 United Arab Emirates Al Wasl
18 4FW Lithierry (2001-05-14) 14 May 2001 (age 24) 1 0 United Arab Emirates Ajman
20 4FW Álvaro de Oliveira (2001-05-27) 27 May 2001 (age 24) 1 0 United Arab Emirates Al Bataeh
23 4FW Bruno de Oliveira (2001-06-10) 10 June 2001 (age 24) 10 0 United Arab Emirates Al Jazira
4FW Caio Lucas (1994-04-19) 19 April 1994 (age 31) 3 0 United Arab Emirates Sharjah
4FW Junior Ndiaye (2005-03-29) 29 March 2005 (age 20) 0 0 France Montpellier

Player Records

These are some of the top players in the history of the UAE national team.

Players in bold are still active with United Arab Emirates.

Most Games Played

عدنان الطلياني2011
Adnan Al-Talyani has played the most games for the UAE, with 161 appearances.
Rank Player Caps Goals Career
1 Adnan Al-Talyani 161 52 1983–1997
2 Ismail Matar 136 36 2003–2021
3 Subait Khater 120 11 1999–2011
4 Ismail Al Hammadi 116 13 2007–2019
Abdulrahim Jumaa 116 13 1998–2009
6 Ali Mabkhout 115 85 2009–2023
7 Zuhair Bakheet 112 27 1988–2002
Abdulsalam Jumaa 112 7 1997–2010
9 Muhsin Musabah 107 0 1988–1999
10 Walid Abbas 106 6 2008–2023

Top Goal Scorers

Ali Mabkhout, UAE&AUS 20190125 Asian Cup
Ali Mabkhout is the UAE's top scorer with 85 goals.
Rank Player Goals Caps Ratio Career
1 Ali Mabkhout (list) 85 115 0.74 2009–2023
2 Adnan Al-Talyani 52 161 0.32 1983–1997
3 Ahmed Khalil 48 104 0.46 2008–2019
4 Ismail Matar 36 136 0.26 2003–2021
5 Fahad Khamees 28 68 0.41 1981–1990
Mohammad Omar 28 102 0.27 1996–2009
7 Zuhair Bakheet 27 112 0.24 1988–2002
8 Fabio Lima 17 40 0.43 2020–present
9 Saeed Al Kass 15 60 0.25 1998–2013
10 Faisal Khalil 13 61 0.21 2001–2010
Ismail Al Hammadi 13 116 0.11 2007–2019
Abdulrahim Jumaa 13 116 0.11 1998–2009

Team Honours

The UAE national football team has won several awards and titles.

Continental Achievements

Regional Championships

  • Arabian Gulf Cup
    • Med 1.png Champions (2): 2007, 2013
    • Med 2.png Runners-up (4): 1986, 1988, 1994, 2017–18

Friendly Tournament Wins

  • Friendship Tournament (2): 1996, 1998, 2000
  • Kirin Cup (1): 2005
  • OSN Cup (1): 2013
  • LG Cup (1): 2000
  • Oman Cup (1): 2000

Summary of Official Honours

These are the main official awards the team has won.

Senior Competition 1 2 3 Total
AFC Asian Cup 0 1 1 2
Total 0 1 1 2

Images for kids

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Selección de fútbol de los Emiratos Árabes Unidos para niños

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