Saudi Arabia turn Gulf Cup triumph into Asian Cup ambition

Saudi Arabia winger Hamam Al-Hammami says winning the Gulf Cup 27 has given the national team renewed confidence as they target the Asian Cup title at the beginning of next year.

Saudi Arabia ended a 23-year wait for the Gulf Cup trophy by beating United Arab Emirates 2-0 in the final. The victory secured the country’s fourth title in the competition and provided a significant boost ahead of their next major challenge.

“The feeling is indescribable,” Al-Hammami told Saudi newspaper Al Riyadiyah. “This was the first tournament I have played in with the national team, and we won it. This achievement came through the unity of everyone, including the players and the administrative and technical staff.”

He said the squad had entered the tournament with a clear objective.

“We went into the competition determined to win it, and thankfully we succeeded in lifting the trophy,” he added.

Saudi Arabia’s focus will now turn to the Asian Cup, where Al-Hammami believes the Gulf Cup victory can help the team perform at a higher level.

“We now have a bigger challenge ahead of us in the Asian Cup,” he said. “God willing, this achievement will motivate us to give our best and accomplish something that will satisfy the Saudi supporters.”

Al-Hammami also celebrated being named the Gulf Cup’s best player. His individual award fulfilled a prediction made before the tournament by retired Saudi star Saeed Al-Owairan, who had backed him to emerge as the competition’s surprise package.

The triumph ended Saudi Arabia’s wait for a major honour and saw them lift the Gulf Cup for a fourth time, following their previous successes in 1994, 2002 and 2003-04.

That record places Saudi Arabia level with Iraq as the second-most successful team in the tournament’s history, with four titles. Kuwait remain the record holders with 10.

The victory was Saudi Arabia’s first title in any competition since their 2003-20 Gulf Cup triumph. Since then, they had endured a series of disappointments in finals, including defeat by Iraq in the 2007 Asian Cup final and losses in four Gulf Cup finals. At the Arab Cup, they finished third in 2025.

Greek manager Georgios Donis has now restored silverware to the Green Falcons. He became the fourth coach to lead Saudi Arabia to the Gulf Cup title, following national team managers Mohammed Al-Kharashy in 1994 and Nasser Al-Johar in 2002, as well as Dutch coach Van der Lem in 2003-04.