It is, admits Humaid Alblooshi, probably last-chance saloon for many United Arab Emirates mainstays. The goalkeeper made his FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup™ debut 15 years ago. His nation, despite seven attempts, have never made it out of the group stage.
Never, however, have they had a better shot. The UAE are coming off a ground-breaking year in which they emphatically beat global giants IR Iran, came from three goals down to sink the mighty Spain en route to a second-placed finish at the Mundialito, and overcome the same side and finish third at the NEOM Beach Soccer Cup. Furthermore, they will be roared on by their own fans and families in Dubai next month.
How would you assess your group opponents, Egypt, USA and Italy?
Humaid Alblooshi: I don’t think you ever get an easy group at a World Cup. You can never feel overly confident about qualifying for the knockout phase. We’ve competed at seven World Cups and missed out on qualifying from the group stage by the finest of margins. Every team at the World Cup has earned their place and will put up a strong challenge. We’ll take each match as it comes, starting with Egypt, then USA, who we played during our training camp. We’ll be planning for each game individually rather than treating the group stage as just a block of three games.
Does the tournament taking place in Dubai put extra pressure on you, or do you think the home fans will give you an extra edge?
This will be my second time playing in a World Cup in my home country, having also competed in 2009. I think it’s a positive for us because we’ll get so much support playing in front of our fans, family and friends, helping us take our effort levels up yet another notch compared to a tournament in another country. It’s always good to play at home. As for the pressure, that’s something you have whatever tournament you’re playing at and, as a professional, you have to be able to deal with it.
At Russia 2021, you started your campaign with a win against Tahiti but went on to lose to Mozambique and Spain. Does that disappointment still play on your minds?
We faced some unique circumstances at the last World Cup, without which I think we’d have gone much further at the tournament, but we’ve learned from it, just as every player learns from their past mistakes. We’re committed to going as far as we can at this year’s World Cup, taking each match as it comes before thinking about the next one.
We’ve worked hard to avoid repeating the mistakes we’ve made in the past, and we’ll try our utmost to achieve our best ever result. We’re determined not to exit the tournament early, and we’re not going to give up easily, no matter who we’re playing. We want to put in the best possible performance in front of our home fans. Most of our players are older than 30, which means this could be their last World Cup, so we’re determined to give our all to secure an amazing end to so many careers.
What is the UAE’s target for the tournament?
Our goal will be to go as far as possible. Our first aim is qualifying for the knockout rounds, and then we’ll take each match as it comes. Every game will be different, but our ultimate aim is to reach the final.
How did you get into beach soccer and why did you decide to play in goal?
It was my destiny. God wanted me to play beach soccer. I used to play 11-a-side, but circumstances led me to beach soccer. When I was 18, I played in a friendly tournament and caught the eye of the national team coach, and that’s where it all began. I really love the sport. It runs through my veins now, it’s such a part of who I am. It’s so much fun to play. As for my position, I started out as a goalkeeper at the age of nine, and that’s where I’ve stayed throughout my career.
Do you think your team-mates’ professional experience abroad in 2022 helped the UAE reach new levels last year?
I played at the Mundialito de Clubes in 2011 and 2012, winning the title with Lokomotiv Moscow. Playing professionally abroad, with some of the best players in the world, gives you experience and the ability to deal with pressure. It’s a positive for you and your national team because you become a much more confident player.
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