UAE team overwhelmed

Abu Dhabi: UAE FA Chairman Yousuf Al Sarkal and the players of the national team expressed their pride and honour after presenting the Gulf Cup to President His Highness Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan at his palace yesterday.

"We are really proud to meet the President and present him with the Gulf Cup as a recognition to his continuous support to the country's sport in general and football in particular" Al Sarkal said yesterday.

"It was a memorable moment in our life that our national team have won the Gulf Cup to realise a dream," Al Sarkal added.

Younus Khory, the Financial Director of the FA, said that meeting the President in itself is a big reward for both the FA and the players.

"We are honoured with the continuous follow-up of the team from our leaders. Both the President His Highness and the Vice-President have shown great interest in the national team and in our work and we are proud to be able to present them with the Cup in recognition of their support." Stand-in captain, Abdul Rahim Jumaa, expressed his delight after the meeting with the President. "I have been waiting for such a moment all my life. It is the only chance when we show our leaders that we appreciate their support to us. I do hope that this victory will lead us a long way ahead and help us realise the dreams of our people and fans in the next obligations."

Reserve custodian Moutaz Abdullah said: "We are happy because we met the President and felt that he was happy of our achievement. Winning the Gulf Cup is in itself a big victory but for us the players, meeting the President and listening to his directions for us is quite a big reward."

Overjoyed

Majid Nasir, the young goalkeeper who proved a promising customer, said: "It is not every day that we meet with the President and on this occasion, His Highness was generous to thank us for winning the Gulf Cup.

"We came here to thank him for his continuous support and His Highness appreciated our efforts. We are really overjoyed."