Dubai: Qualifying from a group containing the likes of Arsenal, Liverpool and Rangers would be no mean feat, but it's a challenge the UAE legends team are eagerly anticipating at next week's inaugural Emirates Airline Dubai Football 7s.
UAE's only side to have played in a World Cup will tackle some of the biggest names to have graced the game over the last three decades like Ian Rush and possibly the legendary Italian duo of Paolo Maldini and Franco Baresi should they get through the group stage. But Abdul Rahman Mohammad Abdullah, the man who will lead the UAE side at The Sevens like he did in Italy 20 years ago, insisted his team would be no pushovers. "It's the first time we are playing in the UAE against such big teams, so we are happy," said Abdullah.
"We will try to enjoy this tournament. It's nice to play against big names whether it's Maldini or Ian Rush. We hope to beat them. It's very important for us to beat them and go very far in this tournament. I hope to be in the final and be champion, but we know how anything can happen in football," added the skipper who is more visible these days as a football pundit on Orbit Showtime.
Abdullah also took the opportunity to pay tribute to the UAE women's team who were victorious in their first international tournament.
"I'm happy to see UAE women playing football and that they are champions. [Abu Dhabi Sports Council President] Shaikh Hazza Bin Zayed [Al Nahyan] is behind this team and our Federation is also behind them. After this, I think there will be more confidence to put our young [girls] to play football," he said.
