UAE veterans' team qualify for World Cup

Dubai: The UAE footballer of the century Adnan Taliyani has praised his former teammates who have qualified for the finals of the Veteran's World Cup (above 40), which will be held in Thailand in April 2006.

"My teammates who played in the World Cup Finals in Italy in 1990 assembled again after 15 years and travelled to Bangkok to play in the Asian qualifiers for the World Cup above 40," said Taliyani at a party held by the main team sponsor, Faris Tayeb Baqer, to honour the players.

"We qualified for the finals which will be held in Thailand in April 2006 after beating Korea and Laos and lost to hosts Thailand."

Shaikh Mansour Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum attended the function.

"UAE veteran footballers who played in the World Cup Finals in Italy 1990 are the role model for the up-coming football players of the UAE who can learn from their experience, talent and efficient tactics of the game," said Shaikh Mansour.

Taliyani thanked Baqer for his support.

"We are very lucky that our people are there to support our team," he said.

"I take this opportunity, on behalf of my colleagues, to thank Faris Baqer for his significant support without which we couldn't participate in the qualifiers held last month in Bangkok. We also thank the UAE FA for their follow-up by making the contacts and getting the consent from Thailand."

Baqer claimed that the 1990 national team that reached the World Cup Finals was the Golden team who brought fame and glory to the UAE.

"It was the greatest achievement in UAE football history and we will never forget it. We support them now, even though they are above 40, because we knew they will achieve success. And they have not let us down by qualifying for the finals. It will be the second time for them to qualify for a World Cup final." Baqer said.

The UAE veterans' team: Adnan Taliyani, Khalid Esmail, Abdul Rahman Mohammad, Bakhit Sa'ad, Abdullah Sultan, Abdul Razaq, Hussain Guloom, Salim Johar, Naser Khamis, Abdul Qadir Hasan, Abdul Hakim.