UAE players attend a training session in Doha.
Doha: Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates meet today in the third-place match of the FIFA Arab Cup Qatar 2025 at Khalifa International Stadium, with both sides chasing consolation after dashing title hopes in the semi-finals.
Saudi Arabia enter today’s encounter following a 1-0 defeat to Jordan in the semi-finals, while the UAE lost 0-3 to Jordan.
Despite the heartache, head coach Herve Renard said his team is aiming to conclude the tournament on a high.
Saudi Arabia coach Herve Renard
“We will play for third place in the tournament, and of course, this is not the match we wanted,” Renard said.
“We weren’t happy with our performance, and we need to focus on winning to end our tournament run,” Renard said at a pre-match press conference.
Having again missed a place in the Arab Cup final, this time in Doha, Saudi Arabia are currently undergoing a 23-year-long title drought.
UAE coach Cosmin Olariu
Renard has come under fire for the team’s disappointing run, but the French veteran rejected suggestions linking him to the team’s unfortunate state.
He stressed that his players showed high motivation throughout the tournament and were in control for most of the match against Jordan, but failed to convert their chances into goals.
“The Saudi national team has not won a title since 2003. That is not my problem,” Renard said.
“I started my work with the Saudi national team in 2019, and I know these players very well. Their motivation is very high. We entered this tournament with a clear goal and the same spirit from the beginning,” Renard said.
Saudi winger Abdulrahman Al Aboud also echoed the frustration, admitting the defeat was unexpected.
However, Al Aboud stressed that winning trophies remains the primary objective for the Green Falcons.
“Our goal in every tournament is to win the title,” he said.
“The defeat was unexpected because qualification was our clear target. Now our focus is on the match against the UAE and finishing the tournament in third place.”
He highlighted the involvement of several young players as a positive outcome of the campaign.
“The Arab Cup tournament was an opportunity for many young players to emerge. They got the chance to participate and gain experience in strong competitive matches,” he added.
Meanwhile, UAE coach Cosmin Olariu described the third-place match as an important challenge.
“The Arab Cup has been a very demanding tournament with many matches in a short period,” Cosmin said.
“This is our final game, and all our focus is on winning against a strong Saudi team. We see it as an important challenge.”
He acknowledged the psychological impact of losing at the last-four stage but insisted that reaching the semi-finals remains a positive step for a young squad, gaining valuable experience.
“Our objective now is to secure third place and continue building a strong team for the future,” Cosmin added.
Although a tight battle is expected, history favors Saudi Arabia in today’s clash.
The Green Falcons have faced the UAE 37 times in official and friendly matches, winning 21 and losing 8, while 8 matches have ended with no results.
Despite the numbers, the UAE will aim to fly back home with one last win, but Saudi Arabia will also seek a strong finish to their Arab Cup Qatar 2025 campaign.
