Dr. Abdullah Misfer, the former coach of the national football team, stated that the national team is currently on the right track under the leadership of Romanian coach Cosmin, especially through the player selections, the external training camp in Austria, and two friendly matches against Italian team Lecce and Slovenian team Bravo. These preparations are for the upcoming matches against Oman and Qatar on October 11 and 14 in Qatar, as part of the qualifying playoffs for the 2026 World Cup.

Misfer emphasized in statements to “Emarat Al Youm” that the defensive system of the team still suffers from errors and problems that require radical solutions, particularly in the center-back position, which has been a continuous question mark over the past two years, along with some issues in the right and left back positions, and another problem related to the defensive midfield.

He pointed out that Cosmin made some changes in the back line during the first friendly match against Lecce, fielding Lucas Pimenta, Kwame Quaye, Marcus Meloni, and Eric de Menezes, who played his first starting match, in an attempt to find solutions to the defensive gaps.

Misfer added: “Before thinking about the offensive side, the team must have a strong defense line, especially since past matches proved the team’s ability to score, but it suffers from conceding many goals, which necessitates fixing the defensive situation first.”

He continued: “Friendly matches give the coach the opportunity to assess how well the players understand his method and style, and also allow him to evaluate technical capabilities closely. The team has a historic chance to qualify for the World Cup, and this opportunity must be seized, as the alternative would be entering a complex cycle of calculations.”

He added: “The decision to hold an external camp and call up players was correct and a demand from everyone, because the team needs comprehensive preparations and friendly matches to prepare properly for the upcoming commitment.”

Misfer confirmed that the offensive side of the team currently has many options, especially after the inclusion of a wide group of new players, noting that calling up five new faces for the first time represents a real support for the team and helps compensate for shortages and create strong competition among players. He stressed that the coach is always required to choose the best, especially with the presence of players who recently obtained Emirati citizenship.

He concluded his statements by emphasizing that the next phase requires preparing the team from all aspects to appear honorably in the qualifying playoffs for the 2026 World Cup in October.