Dubai: Italy's 2006 World Cup-winning captain Fabio Cannavaro has urged the UAE national football team to hold their nerve and show their strength of character when they travel to the London Olympic Games this summer.
"The entire nation believed in this team of youngsters and the players did not fail. I watched the way they fought back from two goals down. This has been an incredible journey not just for the players but for a young country like the UAE. Now they must keep their focus and aspire for even greater heights," Cannavaro told Gulf News.
"It is one thing to qualify to an Olympic Games competition, but it will be a completely different experience once they get there. And it is then that the team must stay together and maintain their focus and poise."
Cannavaro is no stranger to football at any level. Besides being an integral part of the Italian team as captain during their World Cup triumph in 2006, Cannavaro also donned national team colours at the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games.
"I speak from experience when I say that playing in an Olympic Games was an incredible experience. You are up against so many and you are playing for the pride of your country. I would urge the UAE players not to get emotional or overawed with the experience, but just keep their calm and remember why they are at the Olympics," Cannavaro said.
"Representing their country will see them give their best and I am sure they will make themselves proud and make the UAE proud after they return."
The former Italian captain, now acting as a brand ambassador at Al Ahli, was pleased with the guts displayed by the UAE during their crucial qualifier against Uzbekistan. "Not only did the players fight well on the ground, they showed a hunger that they wanted this win badly. Even after they had equalised 2-2, they kept on creating opportunities to score the winner. This shows the quality of the team and the fact that they believed in themselves and their ability to deliver," Cannavaro said.
