The President of the Football Association, Abdullah Al-Shaheen, dedicated Al-Azraq’s qualification for the 2027 Asian Cup finals in Saudi Arabia and the decisive round of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers to His Highness the Amir Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, His Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, and His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Ahmed Al-Abdullah.

Al-Shaheen highlighted that this qualification marks a positive turning point for Kuwaiti soccer, stating, “Our ambition requires developing a technical plan that matches our goals for the upcoming competitions.”

Expressing his delight over Al-Azraq’s victory against Afghanistan, Al-Shaheen remarked, “I am very happy because qualifying for the 2027 Asian Cup and competing for a spot in the 2026 World Cup has brought joy and confidence back to the Kuwaiti people after a long absence from the international stage.”

He continued, “Building a team in two years is challenging, and reviving determination and hope after years of setbacks is even more so. However, through collective effort, we have achieved this milestone, restoring Kuwait’s presence in continental competitions and bringing happiness to our people.”

Al-Shaheen concluded, “We have closed the chapter on these qualifiers and are now focused on developing a technical plan that aligns with our future ambitions. While we recognize the strength of our competition, we are determined and hopeful. We will not be distracted by naysayers and will work as a united Kuwaiti federation to ensure the success of Al-Azraq.”

Team coach Rui Pinto stated that Kuwait deserved to win and qualify, attributing the success to the players’ relentless efforts and the tremendous public support. In the post-match press conference, Pinto highlighted the improvement in Al-Azraq’s performance since he took over, leading to their qualification for the Asian Cup finals.

Eid Al-Rashidi, who scored the winning goal against Afghanistan, was named the best player of the match. Al-Rashidi commented, “The match was difficult, but we achieved our goal. Thank you to the fans for their unwavering support.”

He added, “We face a tough challenge in the decisive round of the World Cup qualifiers, which requires high concentration and exceptional preparation.”

 

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