DOHA (Qatar): The performance of Yemen national football team over the last two years despite the political crisis have given their people some glimmer of hope.
On March 27, 2018, Yemen made history when they qualified for UAE 2019 for what was their maiden appearance (as a unified nation) at the AFC Asian Cup.
One contributing factor to Yemen’s better results has been Mudir Abdurabu.
The 27-year-old defender took part in the Russia 2018 Qualifiers, where Yemen registered a solitary victory in the second-round group phase.
“The secret behind our national team’s success is the hard work all of us put in to make the Yemeni people proud,” Abdurabu told FIFA.com.
And while they suffered three straight group-stage defeats at the hands of Iran, Iraq and Vietnam, their appearance at the finals provided a solid foundation to build on.
The West Asian side then made a strong start to the Asian Qualifiers for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 and AFC Asian Cup China 2023.
They drew 2-2 with Singapore in Kallang and took a point from Asian heavyweights Saudi Arabia, before recording their first win in Group D with a Matchday 5 triumph over Palestine.
“Playing overseas as professionals has also contributed to the development of our squad,” said Abdurabu, who moved to Qatar in 2018.
The Al Arabi defender is currently on loan with Al Wakrah.
“We benefited a lot from playing football abroad, particularly in the Qatari league. It’s a professional championship and one that has attracted several super stars and quality coaches. We’ve gained a great deal from playing against big names, which in turn has helped develop our character,” he said. (Source: AFC)
