Saudi Arabia and the Reasons Behind Winning the Gulf Cup.. What are the Main Gains for the UAE from the Tournament?

The Saudi national team succeeded in winning the Gulf Cup title in its twenty-seventh edition, which was held in the city of Jeddah, after defeating its Emirati counterpart with two clean goals in the final. What distinguishes the Saudi generation that appeared in this tournament? And why was this participation beneficial for the UAE despite the loss?

Perhaps the most distinguishing feature of the "Green" in its journey in the Gulf Cup was the control of the rhythm, which is a very important characteristic provided by the principle of ball possession for as long as possible. Saudi Arabia succeeded in controlling the rhythm of its matches remarkably, as it was able to increase the pace when needed, especially at the beginning of the first or second half.

Looking at the timing of Saudi Arabia's goals, it is clear that they scored 4 goals in the first quarter of the first half and 2 goals in the first 20 minutes of the second half, in addition to a goal in the 73rd minute and a goal in the 34th minute. After scoring the goals, the Saudi team showed a high ability to control the rhythm in a way that suited them, as they slowed down the game in many minutes while retaining the ball and quickly regaining it when lost to distribute their effort appropriately and face the enthusiasm of the opponent eager to equalize.

Iron defense It is no secret that the "Green" achieved the title of this tournament without conceding any goals in the matches it played, which is evidence of the success of its defensive system on both collective and individual levels. Collectively, the Saudi defense was remarkably disciplined, and individually, its defenders such as Abdulilah Al-Amri, Hassan Tambakti, and even Mohamed Abu Shamat, known for his attacking tendency, presented outstanding levels.

A gem in the midfield Nasser Al-Dosari distinguished himself in this tournament, as he shone in the midfield with his ability to carry the ball under pressure and provided exceptional forward passes, the last and most important of which was the pass he delivered to Firas Al-Buraikan in the final against the UAE before Al-Buraikan scored the second goal. Al-Dosari played complex roles in the midfield alongside Mohamed Kanno and Abdullah Al-Khaibari in ball recovery, rhythm control, and other distinguished roles.

The formidable dam, the veteran goalkeeper Mohammed Al-Owais shone in this tournament remarkably after saving several penalty kicks against Qatar in the semifinals and delivering impressive performances during the regular times in both the semifinals and the final. Al-Owais's role was not limited to the technical side, as he was one of the main leaders of the team due to his long experience and background.

The UAE and the rich experience, the UAE national team participated in its first tournament under the leadership of its new Croatian coach Zlatko Dalic, and delivered notable performances in the tournament reaching the final, but ultimately could not secure the title due to minor details. Despite losing the final, the 'White' team gained significant benefits from the tournament as the coach got to know his players well and the players became familiar with the coach's ideas.

A unique experience, Zlatko played with different formations and included most of the UAE national team players to assess their levels in this tournament, which is the biggest gain for him. Several players in the UAE national team performed excellently, such as Guilherme Bala, Ousmane Kamara, Jimenez, and others.

Preparation for Asia, this tournament will serve as an important and more effective preparation for the UAE national team ahead of the upcoming Asian Cup, as Dalic will work on developing the necessary aspects before the major continental tournament.