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AFC chief pleased with UAE’s progress

The AFC President hailed UAE’s achievements in football and said that the country holds a prime position in Asian football.

Abu Dhabi — AFC President Shaikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa was pleased with the rapid strides UAE football has made in recent times and said that their third place in the AFC Asian Cup will help them scale even greater heights and make them powerhouses in Asian football.

The AFC President hailed UAE’s achievements in football and said that the country holds a prime position in Asian football.

The UAE went down to hosts Australia in the semifinals and finished third after defeating Iraq, in January. Shaikh Salman met with Shaikh Hazza bin Zayed Al Nahyan, National Security Advisor and Honorary President of the UAE Football Association; UAE FA President Yousef Al Serkal; UAE FA vice president Mohammed Thani Al Rumaithi; UAE Judo Association President Mohamed bin Thaloob; and UAE Higher Council of Youth vice president Mohammed Ibrahim Al Mahmoud, on Saturday.

Shaikh Salman thanked Shaikh Hazza bin Zayed Al Nahyan for the warm welcome, and underlined the key role he plays in supporting the development of football improvement throughout the UAE.

Shaikh Salman also congratulated Shaikh Hazza bin Zayed Al Nahyan for the third-placed finish achieved by the UAE at the 2015 AFC Asian Cup in Australia, saying that the result reflects both the continuous improvement of the national team and the efforts the UAE FA made to prepare the team for the continental finals.

“The UAE’s success in Australia would provide renewed impetus for the national team to garner even more success, especially given the qualified technical staff and highly capable players they have at their disposal,” Shaikh Salman said.

Shaikh Salman also discussed the AFC programmes and initiatives aimed at developing all aspects of the game in Asia, stressing that the unity of Asia’s footballing family would be the main guarantee of success.

Shaikh Hazza bin Zayed Al Nahyan praised the vital role being played by the AFC, under the leadership of Shaikh Salman, to raise the standard of football in Asia. He also hailed the achievements the AFC has made at all levels in such a short period of time and added that the improved standards were reflected during the Asian Cup, where the level of competition was extremely high.

Shaikh Hazza bin Zayed Al Nahyan also confirmed the UAE’s support for Shaikh Salman to continue leading the AFC, praising the work done by Shaikh Salman, since he assumed the role of AFC President.