The Saudi national team was crowned champion of the Gulf Cup “Gulf 27”, for the fourth time in its history after the years “1994, 2002 and 2003”, at the expense of the UAE national team 2-0 in the confrontation that brought them together at Al Enmaa Stadium “The Radiant Jewel” in Jeddah yesterday, in the presence of a full crowd.
The match was preceded by a brief and very expressive closing ceremony entitled “Welcome to the Gulf.” One of the popular bands performed a song, while the Gulf Cup was presented in the form of a huge statue in the middle of the stadium.
The closing ceremony came about two weeks after the start of the tournament in Jeddah, which hosted the tournament for the first time in its history with the participation of 8 teams, divided into two groups before Saudi Arabia and the UAE reached the final match.
Player Hammam Al-Hammami scored the first goal for Al-Akhdar in the match in the 11th minute, and two minutes later Firas Al-Braikan scored the second goal.
The Jordanian national team continued its modest results since the beginning of the current year 2026, with a goalless draw with Venezuela in a friendly match on Tuesday.
The Jordanian national team, under the leadership of its veteran Moroccan coach, Badou Al-Zaki, did not take advantage of the ground staff and the audience, as the match was held at King Abdullah II Stadium in Al-Quweismeh in the capital, Amman, and the two teams emerged with a clean sheet.
Al-Nashama maintained their record undefeated under the leadership of Al-Zaki, who started the campaign with a 1-1 draw with Syria on September 27.
Badu Al-Zaki assumed responsibility, succeeding his compatriot Jamal Al-Salami, who qualified Jordan for the World Cup for the first time in its history, but was eliminated from the first round with three defeats against Austria, Argentina and Algeria.
Before the 2026 World Cup, Jordan tied with Nigeria and Costa Rica in two friendly matches during March, and lost to Switzerland and Colombia in two friendly matches during May and June, leaving the Jordanian national team without a win throughout the current year.
The Jordanian national team is preparing to participate in the 2027 Asian Nations Cup in Saudi Arabia, where the runner-up of the last edition of the continental championship will begin its campaign against Uzbekistan, Bahrain and North Korea in the second group competitions.
In a scene that mixed spontaneity and astonishment, the professional Yemeni player in the ranks of the Saudi Al-Shabab Club, Adel Abbas, did not realize that his name would be present at the closing ceremony of the Gulf Cup tournament. While Abbas was sitting with his friends at home watching the live broadcast of the coronation ceremony on the screen, his name was officially called as the winner of the “Best Young Talent” award in the tournament, causing astonishment to spread in the room. The young player’s eyes could not believe the news at first, as he appeared to be pointing with his hand at the screen, asking questions. With disbelieving laughter, he then stands up and performs his prostration in gratitude to God as soon as he comprehends the news, amid the warm congratulations and cheers of his teammates who shared this exceptional moment with him. This well-deserved coronation comes as an extension of the numbers and outstanding appearance made by the 18-year-old young playmaker with the Yemeni national team, as he played 3 matches in the group stage for a total of 148 minutes during which he succeeded in leaving a remarkable offensive impact by scoring one goal and assisting two others. He attracted attention with his movements and high field vision in the midfield, and received praise from followers and critics, crowning his efforts with this award.
