The most prominent of them are Mabkhoot, Saleh, Al-Ahbabi, Al-Ghassani, and Shaheen

7 players started in Round 21 despite being ruled out of the national team due to injury

  • Ali Mabkhout participated in the match between Al Jazira and Al Wasl and scored a goal. Cinematographer: Osama Abu Ghanem

  • Al Wasl player Ali Saleh (right). From the source

  • Al Ain player Bandar Al Ahbabi (left). From the source

  • Shabab Alahli player Yahya Al-Ghassani. Cinematographer: Eric Arazas

  • Sharjah player Shaheen Abdulrahman. Cinematographer: Eric Arazas

  • Shabab Al Ahli player Ahmed Jameel. From the source

  • Sharjah player Khalid Al-Dhanhani. From the source

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A statistic, monitored by "Emirates Today" from the official website of the Professional Football League, showed that seven players out of nine were excluded, finally, from the list of the first national football team, during its last camp held in Abu Dhabi from 19 to 29 March, participated with their teams mainly in the 21st round of the ADNOC Professional League, which was held over three days and concluded yesterday, knowing that the team played during the last camp two friendly matches: The first against Tajikistan ended in a goalless draw, and the second against Thailand and ended in a 2-2023 victory, and the friendly matches that the team plays come as part of its preparation program for the upcoming external events, foremost of which is the 2026 Asian Cup, and the Asian qualifiers for the <> World Cup.

The technical staff of the national team, led by Argentine coach Rodolfo Arruabarrena, has excluded a number of players in the last camp, due to the circumstances of the injuries and their need for treatment and rest for a period ranging between one and two weeks, according to the result of medical examinations conducted for them under the supervision of the team's medical staff, according to the Football Association, the list of injured included: Hussein Mahdi, who suffered a cruciate ligament cut, Walid Abbas, Yahya Al-Ghassani, Bandar Al-Ahbabi, Ali Mabkhout, Khaled Al-Dhanhani, and Shaheen Abdul Rahman. Players Ahmed Jameel and Ali Saleh were later excluded, but the 21st round of the ADNOC Professional League saw the participation of seven of these players with their teams, namely: Ali Mabkhout "Al Jazeera", who scored a goal in his team's match against Al Wasl, Ali Saleh "Al Wasl" scored the goal of progress for Al Wasl against Al Jazeera, Yahya Al Ghassani and Ahmed Jameel "Shabab Al Ahli", Bandar Al Ahbabi "Al Ain", Shaheen Abdul Rahman, and Khalid Al Dhanhani "Sharjah", while Shabab Al Ahli player Walid Abbas did not participate in his team's match against Al Ain, Al Nasr player Hussein Mahdi also did not participate in the match between Al Nasr and Ittihad Kalba, due to a cruciate ligament tear.

These seven players are the main pillars on which the national team relies during its various participations.

In the absence of influential elements, the team's technical staff was forced to call in a large number of young faces and emerging elements.

The team's matches against Tajikistan and Thailand represented an opportunity for a large number of young players to participate, including Abdullah Idris, defender of Al Jazira Club, Bilal Yousef, midfielder of Ajman Club, Abdullah Al Karbi, defender of Al Wahda Club, Yousef Al Muhairi, defender of Al Wasl Club, and Ahmed Amer, striker of Ittihad Kalba Club.

Four young faces were included in the starting line-up during their last match against Thailand: Abdullah Al-Karbi, Abdulsalam Mohammed, Abdullah Idris and Bilal Yusuf.

It is noteworthy that the national team player and Al Ain Club Caio Canedo, was later excluded from the national team after medical tests showed that he suffered a dislocation of the shoulder and collarbone joint during the team's first match against Tajikistan.

The Football Association announced at the time on its official website that the player will be presented to an orthopedic consultant to determine his treatment program and the duration of his absence from the stadiums.

The Football Association and the National Teams Committee, through the Mukatamel program, seek to prepare the team early for the upcoming benefits, after the failures it suffered in the past period, the most prominent of which was its failure to qualify for the 2022 World Cup, which was held, recently, in Qatar, although it was close to achieving this dream, after it qualified for the World Cup play-off match against Australia, but lost the confrontation and bid farewell to the competition to dispel the UAE's dream of reaching the World Cup in Qatar.

The team finally bid farewell to the 25th Arabian Gulf Cup, which was held in the Iraqi city of Basra from the first round, after finishing last in the standings of Group B.

The 7 players

1- Ali Mabkhout «Al Jazeera».

2- Ali Saleh «Al Wasl».

3- Yahya Al-Ghassani «Shabab Al-Ahli».

4- Ahmed Jameel «Shabab Al-Ahli».

5- Bandar Al Ahbabi «Al Ain».

6- Shaheen Abdul Rahman «Sharjah».

7- Khalid Al-Dhanhani «Sharjah».