UAE Football Association Dismisses Head Coach Paulo Bento
The UAE national team coach is relieved of his duties following a recent match despite a victory.
The UAE Football Association has officially announced the dismissal of head coach Paulo Bento, alongside his assistant coaching staff.
This decision follows the UAE national team's recent 2-1 victory against North Korea in the Asian qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
In a statement published through its official account on the social media platform X, the association confirmed the termination of Bento's contract, stating the change was deemed necessary for the team's future prospects.
The UAE is anticipated to announce a new coaching staff to lead the team during the ongoing World Cup qualifiers and other upcoming official competitions.
Bento's tenure faced significant criticism, particularly regarding tactical decisions and team performance during matches.
Sports analyst Sbeit Khater previously remarked that Bento had not delivered results that justified his continued leadership of the national team.
He noted that the football association is best positioned to assess Bento's effectiveness based on the expectations set at the time of his hiring.
Furthermore, former national team goalkeeper and coach Moataz Abdullah commented on the lack of public confidence in Bento, suggesting that trust could only be restored through a decisive win against North Korea in their eighth qualifying match for the World Cup.
This comment follows a prior setback for the team, which lost 2-0 to Iran.
The UAE national team has been under scrutiny for its performance, highlighting issues within team cohesion despite having skilled individual players.
This decision follows the UAE national team's recent 2-1 victory against North Korea in the Asian qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
In a statement published through its official account on the social media platform X, the association confirmed the termination of Bento's contract, stating the change was deemed necessary for the team's future prospects.
The UAE is anticipated to announce a new coaching staff to lead the team during the ongoing World Cup qualifiers and other upcoming official competitions.
Bento's tenure faced significant criticism, particularly regarding tactical decisions and team performance during matches.
Sports analyst Sbeit Khater previously remarked that Bento had not delivered results that justified his continued leadership of the national team.
He noted that the football association is best positioned to assess Bento's effectiveness based on the expectations set at the time of his hiring.
Furthermore, former national team goalkeeper and coach Moataz Abdullah commented on the lack of public confidence in Bento, suggesting that trust could only be restored through a decisive win against North Korea in their eighth qualifying match for the World Cup.
This comment follows a prior setback for the team, which lost 2-0 to Iran.
The UAE national team has been under scrutiny for its performance, highlighting issues within team cohesion despite having skilled individual players.
