The Yemen national football team, coached by Noureddine Ould Ali, has been knocked out of the Gulf Cup in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Their exit follows a 1-0 defeat to Qatar on Saturday, with a group stage match still to play.
Despite the loss, Ould Ali is focused on the team's upcoming challenge: the 2027 Asian Cup, also to be held in Saudi Arabia. Yemen secured their spot in the quadrennial tournament by surprisingly defeating Lebanon in June.
The team faces significant challenges, having not played a home game since 2012 due to the civil war. Many players are still based in Yemen, and the coach noted their concerns for their families amidst the country's unstable political situation. Ould Ali, who previously coached Palestine, stated, "They worry about what is going on in the country and they hope that their families are OK."
In January, Yemen will return to Jeddah for their opening Asian Cup game against South Korea, a team featuring stars like Son Heung-min. Ould Ali expressed hope that the team can make their people proud and give the world "a different headline about Yemen."