Saudi Arabia and UAE stood out at Gulf Cup 27, says Hamad Al-Dubaikhi

Sports analyst Hamad Al-Dubaikhi said the Saudi national team fully deserved their Gulf Cup 27 title, noting that most teams saw a drop in performance except for Saudi Arabia and the UAE.

Speaking to Al Arabiya FM, Al-Dubaikhi said he was optimistic about Saudi Arabia’s chances before the tournament began, stressing that the victory was no fluke. He highlighted the team’s impressive achievements, including remaining unbeaten and keeping clean sheets throughout the competition.

He explained that the Saudi squad showed clear improvement both individually and collectively, attributing this progress to more players gaining experience with their clubs, which raised their overall level.

Al-Dubaikhi added that playing on home soil and in front of Saudi fans gave the players extra motivation. He described the competition at Gulf Cup 27 as limited, saying: “Let’s be realistic, only two teams were strong in the tournament: Saudi Arabia and the UAE.”

He pointed out that winning the title gave the Saudi team a major morale boost and increased competition among players for starting positions, especially as new talents emerged. He noted that some players who were previously regular starters may struggle to regain their spots as the squad becomes more complete.

View the post on X

He concluded by stressing the importance of capitalizing on this period, expressing hope that the next three months will bring even greater incentives for the players to ensure the Saudi team’s continued progress.