United once again

The UAE team carry the hopes of a nation as they compete against Palestine today.

Sameh Maraaba of Palestine celebrates a goal against Malaysia during their 2018 FIFA World Cup football qualifying match in Kuala Lumpur in June. Mohd Rasfan / AFP

The people of the UAE have been united in grief, and pride, over the past few days as we have mourned the 45 faithful sons who died in the line of duty in Yemen on Friday. On Tuesday, football will unite us when the UAE team takes on the Palestinians in the West Bank as part of the qualifying rounds for the 2018 Fifa World Cup.

The game comes soon after the UAE’s astonishing 10-0 victory over Malaysia in Abu Dhabi on Thursday. At stake in these qualifiers is the chance to mix it with the giants of the game at a World Cup for only the second time in the UAE’s history – and the team is, arguably, our best since that squad of 1990. While the Palestinians will also be highly motivated, the Emirati players will not just be playing for a victory in this match but for their country’s national pride after a deeply difficult week.

We fully support our golden generation of young players, and celebrate the power of football to bring people together.