The Gulf Football Association clarifies the details of the organization of Gulf 27 and highlights the achievement of the UAE national team under the leadership of Dalic

The Gulf Football Association confirmed that the “Gulf 27” tournament witnessed continuous coordination with the local organizing committee since the preparation stage, in various technical, organizational and financial aspects.

He explained that television production and broadcasting were entrusted to the international company IMG, and that the local committee received all the technical requirements for the stadiums, including cameras, their locations, transport vehicles and equipment, before the start of the tournament.

He pointed out that he responded immediately to the request to increase the number of cameras after the start of the tournament, and that he bore the full additional costs without charging the local organizing committee any additional amounts.

He stated that broadcast rights were made available to 9 Arab and Gulf channels and platforms, in addition to 6 international broadcasters, bringing the tournament to Europe, the United States, Canada, Australia, and a number of Balkan countries.

He stressed that the initial ticket prices were agreed upon and approved in advance in coordination with the local organizing committee, before he later approved the committee’s request to reduce prices and adopt the new pricing.

The Gulf Federation stressed that it deals with all countries and cities hosting the Gulf Cup according to the same standards, calling for accuracy and reference to official sources in everything related to the technical, organizational and financial aspects of the tournament.

The UAE team in “Gulf 27” was not just a team that succeeded in reaching the final match, but rather it became one of the inspiring stories in the football forum, after it presented a journey that reflects a clear competitive character, under the leadership of Croatian coach Zlatko Dalic, who continues to write a new chapter in his coaching career away from the Croatian national team.

Perhaps the most notable irony of the UAE’s journey in the tournament was that it began without friendly preparatory matches, and without ample opportunity to try out the players before the competition, but nevertheless it reached the final with a performance that made it one of the most prominent parties in the tournament.

The credit for this goes to the quality of the elements, the ability of the technical staff to quickly reach the appropriate combination, in addition to Dalic’s personality and long experience in major tournaments.

The UAE started its campaign strong, after defeating Yemen by four goals to no return, before achieving a 3-0 victory against Bahrain, to confirm its attacking ability and take the lead in its group with 7 points after a draw with Qatar, at a time when its attack became the strongest in the tournament with 9 goals.

But numbers alone do not summarize what the Emirati team provided. The team that reached the final did not rely only on its ability to score, but also demonstrated during its matches a clear ability to control the tempo of the confrontation. He knows when to increase the speed of performance, when to calm the pace of play, when to put pressure on the opponent, and when to retreat to organize his ranks, and most importantly, he has shown maturity in dealing with knockout matches.

Then came the confrontation with Oman in the semi-finals, putting the character of the UAE national team to a different test, after the mistake became more costly, and the match no longer bore the same calculations that existed in the group stage.

Here the true value of Dalic appears, as the Croatian coach is not measured only by the victories he has achieved or the number of championships he has won, but rather by his ability to create character for the teams he leads. This is precisely one of the most prominent features that accompanied his experience with Croatia, before he now begins to build new features with the Emirates.

Dalic knows well the secret of short tournaments, and he knows that reaching the final does not always depend on having the best group of players, but rather on the ability to transform the group into a team that knows how to play, how to deal with pressure, and how to act in decisive moments.

What is striking about Dalic’s story is that his Emirati experience comes at a time that carries a great football paradox.

At a time when the Croatian national team, which Dalic led to one of its best historical periods over the past years, was suffering a heavy loss against England with a score of 7-0, the same coach was leading the UAE to the Gulf Cup final.

A paradox that summarizes many of the details of football. The coach, whose name was associated with a historic era with Croatia, and who led it to the 2018 World Cup final, then to third place in the 2022 Qatar World Cup, is facing a completely different challenge today, in a new environment, different players, and new ambitions.

The final against the Saudi team will be a different test for the Emirati team. The match will be against a competitor who has great experience in the tournament, huge public support, and a desire to achieve the title.

For the Emirates, the match represents an opportunity to write a perfect end to a journey that began with resounding victories and continued until reaching the final match.

As for Dalic, it is another opportunity to prove that a coach's success is not only linked to a specific generation of players or one team, but rather to his ability to build a team that has an identity and character capable of competing.

If the UAE succeeds in overtaking Saudi Arabia and winning the title, the achievement will carry additional historical value, as it will be the first Gulf title for the UAE national team since 2013, and it will give Dalic an exceptional start to his project with “Al-Abyad”.