Argentine Al-Wahda player Sebastian Tigali (35 years), and Brazilian Al Ain player Caio Canido (28 years), officially acquired the Emirati nationality and were registered in the category of national players in the ranks of Al-Wahda and Al-Ain clubs in preparation for their representation of the national team after each of them fulfilled the legal conditions that allow them Wearing the national team's shirt, Tigali spent more than five seasons with Al Wahda Club, after joining the team in the 2013-2013 season, while Caio also completed five years in the UAE league last September, while Al Wahda Club welcomed the CEO of the football company Abdullah Salem to have a player Sebestyen Tigala on Emirati nationality, he told «Emirates Today» that the move will benefit the football Emirates, pointing out that they are in unity club are hoping that this will be move the beginning of the best football Emirati football, especially since Tigala is one of the attackers, discerning in the UAE League.
The Football Association announced the news that Tigali and Caio acquired Emirati citizenship on his official website and added the name Tegali in the category of citizens players, while Caio also added in the category of citizens players, to be able to support the white formally during the upcoming entitlements, thus enhancing his chances of qualifying for the 2022 World Cup, They are expected to appear officially in the national team jersey against Malaysia on March 26 in the joint qualifiers for the 2022 World Cup and the 2023 Asian Cup.
Athletes praised the step of naturalizing both Tigali and Caio, describing it as a success and in the right way, noting that the players will constitute a great addition to the team during its next career, indicating that they have great experience and a high technical level.
They told «Emirates Today»: «Tigali and Caio expressed on more than one previous occasion their desire to wear the national team’s shirt, and now that their desire has been fulfilled, their presence in the team will make the difference, given the great experience and advanced technical level that characterizes them as they are currently One of the best players in the UAE league, therefore, joining the team represents a major shift for the team and will help Al-Abyad to restore the distinguished results, following the decline in its results in the recent period after suffering two losses against Vietnam and Thailand, while winning in return in two games against Malaysia and Indonesia ».
The athletes pointed out that Tigali and Caio besides that they are role models for young players inside and outside the stadium due to the commitment and high morals that they enjoy, they lived a lot in the country and know the customs and traditions of the people of the Emirates, pointing out that there are large countries such as Germany and France that have naturalized foreign players to play in their teams National.
The national team, which is currently ranked fourth in the Group Seven teams with six points in the joint qualifiers for the 2022 World Cup and the 2023 Asian Cup, seeks to strengthen its chances strongly in qualifying for the World Cup, knowing that the team has left four games in these qualifiers, against Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam .
Tigali and Caio obtained Emirati citizenship with great satisfaction in the sports community, which had been watching for such a decision for a long time, given the high technical capabilities enjoyed by each of them during their career in the UAE league.
For his part, former member of the Football Association Board, Dr. Salim Al Shamsi, considered that Caio and Tigali have proven their presence strongly during the past years and provided high technical levels, stressing that their presence together in the team after the decision to naturalize them constitutes a great additional for the team, pointing out that there are large countries Such as Germany, France and Italy made such a move.
He added: "Despite the age factor, but Tigali has been providing a distinguished performance with the unit in the past period, and the team will benefit a lot from him, as he has a great experience in dealing with major international matches, and so is the case for the Caio player."
Al Shamsi described this step as a success and is in the interest of Emirates football, indicating that he fully supports the step of naturalizing players as long as this achieves a national goal and meets the national team’s need for distinguished players in light of the lack of talent in the country, considering that the resident player’s project can serve Emirates sport in The future through the emergence of distinguished talents in all fields, whether in football or other.
For his part, Khaled Awad, a former member of the Competitions Committee in the Football Association, confirmed that he supports such a move, as the presence of players will give the team additional strength in the coming stage, stressing that the naturalization process must be in accordance with a future plan and a long-term program to create future generations. Emirates ball serves through the national team.
He added: "It includes players like Tigali and Caio besides that it will give strength to the team, as their presence also represents a role model for future generations in the team."
For his part, former Al-Wasl coach Hassan Al-Abdouli confirmed that, with Caio naturalizing and looking to play for the national team, pointing to the players who have been providing with their team distinguished technical levels, in addition to that they have expressed on more than one occasion their desire to play for the Emirates team, pointing out that they will help the team In achieving the desired goal, which is to reach the World Cup 2022.
Al-Abdouli said: «I knew Kaio closely during my previous work in training Al-Wasl and touched him in the example, commitment and high fighting spirit, and he directed the players on the field, and played the coach’s role in spreading the spirit of enthusiasm among young players.
Al-Abdouli promised that this duo would restore his national prestige, and that they would have a great impact on the national team.
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