DUBAI: Destiny’s call bellows increasingly louder for a refocused and retooled UAE set to restart a World Cup 2026 qualification quest imbued with fresh momentum.
Heroics were required for November’s clashes — and Paulo Bento’s men emphatically delivered with a 3-0 beating of Kyrgyzstan and an epochal 5-0 rout of perennial rivals Qatar. The interregnum between Group A activities for the third-placed side may have included December’s winless early exit from the 26th Arabian Gulf Cup, but nothing can distract from their mission to earn just a second-ever berth at the globe’s premier sporting event.
The Whites’ prospects transformed from waning to tangible in the space of two matches. A consolation prize of a fourth-round slot is now almost secured, yet second-placed Uzbekistan in the final automatic-qualification berth are tantalizingly in range on 13 points to the UAE’s 10 points.
Arguably Asia’s sternest test awaits away at Iran’s cavernous Azadi Stadium on Thursday when the penultimate window kicks off, before a trip into the unknown against bottom-placed North Korea at Riyadh’s Prince Faisal bin Fahd Stadium.
These exacting challenges will be tackled with another wave of newly naturalized ADNOC Pro League stars in 2017 FIFA Club World Cup Silver Ball winner Caio, Sharjah club-mate Luan Pereira, pacey Al-Wasl loanee Jonatas and granite Al-Wahda center-back Alaeddine Zouhir.
For local talents, outstanding 21-year-old Shabab Al-Ahli Dubai Club goalkeeper Hamad Al-Meqebaali presses for a debut and metronomic Al-Jazira midfielder Abdullah Ramadan returns from serious injury.
Rise, once again, to the occasion this month and history could be close at hand. There is no risk of getting carried away under the circumspect Bento’s care.
“We are striving for a better position in these qualifiers, and we are working towards that, one match at a time and step by step,” he told reporters, according to Emarat Al Youm newspaper. “As for me, I am happy with the players, especially since they are performing well.
“I expect a very strong match against the Iranian team, which is one of the strongest teams in the group and also one of the strongest teams in Asia. We have suffered in previous matches against these teams, but we have learned from that and will do our best.
“In some matches, the team did not deserve to lose.
“The current camp is the shortest compared to previous national team camps, as it is always better to prepare in sufficient time. But we must deal with the situation.
“We are working to get the national team players fully prepared. We started the camp with a specific group of players, but training continued after all the players had joined.”
The failure of a “Golden Generation” headlined by Omar Abdulrahman, Ahmed Khalil and Ali Mabkhout, plus their successors, to successfully navigate recent cycles ensured skepticism enveloped ambitions of playing at an expanded World Cup 2026.
Blowing this away has been Bento’s aim since his summer 2023 arrival. The ex-Portugal and South Korea boss has exhibited singular focus on this global target to the detriment of forgettable Gulf Cup and Asian Cup campaigns.
A good problem exists about how, and when, to integrate stellar introductory call-ups.
Caio is the unquestionable standout addition. The multifaceted 30-year-old has produced 14 goal contributions in 17 top-flight runouts as Sharjah cling on in the title race.
A mouth-watering prospect exists of an interchangeable attack in Bento’s 4-2-3-1 formation, with Caio at the fulcrum plus a selection taken from Shabab Al-Ahli flyers Yahya Al-Ghassani and Harib Abdalla, and Brazil-born options Fabio De Lima, Caio Canedo, Bruno Conceicao and Jonatas.
Six-goal international marksman Sultan Adil is also surprisingly in the mix, despite playing zero club minutes throughout the 2024-25 season.
Wasl talisman Ali Saleh’s international absence since November’s injury issues has continued. A tally of nine goals in 18 league runouts for an evergreen Mabkhout at Al-Nasr did not prove enough to be reintegrated.
Pressure is also applied to Jazira center-back Khalifa Al-Hammadi’s continuing starting spot by Wahda pair Lucas Pimenta and Zouhir. Al-Ain’s Kouame Autonne is a lock.
Getting the blend right between new options and old ones is crucial. A solid third round to date could deliver an exceptional ending, returning the UAE to the World Cup for the first time since 1990 and avoiding the lottery of potentially multiple future qualification stages.
They attack these fixtures in the wake of this stage’s joint-second-biggest victory (5-0 versus Qatar). Only resurgent Iraq (four goals) and all-conquering Japan (two goals) have conceded fewer.
June 5’s meeting with Uzbekistan looms large. A dream return of four points from six this month would make Group A’s runners-up feel the heat from the UAE’s dogged pursuit and hold off a chastened Qatar in fourth.
The Whites, certainly, cannot afford a repeat of October’s dreary 1-1 draw with North Korea at this juncture.
Setting the platform now for future glory is the goal Bento and his recalibrated UAE are dedicated toward.
November’s emboldening results mean legendary status is within reach. They must seize it in March.
