For the UAE this year’s Gulf Cup has been a tournament that brought them great joy and satisfaction. They have succeeded into winning the Cup on Friday by a 2-1 victory over Iraq. The finals had been awaited by many Emiratis citizens and fans even got the chance to assist the game in Bahrain since free plane seats were offered by the country’s main province Rulers as well as the government most important officials. In order to encourage the victorious team that represented them in the best way possible a warm welcome awaited the members when they returned to their countries. Not only were they received on Monday by the Ruler of Sharjah, Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, who thanked them for their victory at his Al Badea Al A’mer Palace but they also received donations in appreciation of their achievement.
To begin with Sheikh Al Qasimi himself awarded Dh10 million to the members of the UAE national football team including the administrative and technical staff. In addition according to the state news agency Wam many others did the same: over Dh137 million was given to them by officials including President, Sheikh Khalifa.
The team is expected to bring more glory to the country as it flies to China in order to qualify for the 2015 Asian Cup. Expected to arrive in Guanzhou on January 28 to start training the UAE national team will have to face Vietnam for its first match in Hanoi. In the 2007 competition, the team had to face the same opponent and was defeated by a score o 2-0. Thus Shiek Al Qasimi in his welcoming speech warned the players not to be over satisfied with their win and to start providing all the necessary efforts in order to be victorious once again.
UAE: warm welcome for the champions
