Today marks 30 years since the UAE national team debuted at a World Cup, in what was their first, and as of yet only, appearance at a global finals.
Drawn in Group D alongside eventual champions West Germany, Yugoslavia and Colombia, the UAE kicked off their campaign against the South Americans at the Stadio Renato Dall’Ara in Bologna.
Pitted against a star-studded side comprising Rene Higuita, Carlos Valderrama and Freddie Rincon, the UAE held out for the entire first half before eventually being defeated 2-0. It was an opening loss on football’s grandest stage, but a team made up solely of UAE-based players had performed admirably.
The UAE would go on to lose against the Germans and Yugoslavia, but midfielder Khalid Ismail etched his name in the history books by scoring the country’s first goal at a World Cup, in the 5-1 defeat to Franz Beckenbauer’s champions-in-waiting. Sharjah's Ali Thani also notched, in the 4-1 reverse against Yugoslavia.
