The United Arab Emirates Football Association (UAEFA) has announced the dismissal of head coach Paulo Bento, just hours after his side’s dramatic 2-1 win over North Korea kept alive their hopes of automatic qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Sultan Adil’s stoppage-time heroics in Riyadh reduced the gap to second-placed Uzbekistan in Group A to four points, setting up a pivotal clash between the two sides on June 5. However, Bento will not be on the touchline for what could be the defining moments of the UAE’s campaign.
In a statement shared on social media, the UAEFA confirmed, “The UAE Football Association has decided to dismiss the head coach of the national team, Paulo Bento, along with his coaching staff.”
Bento, a seasoned coach with a notable résumé, was appointed in July 2023 to succeed Rodolfo Arruabarrena. The 55-year-old had previously led Portugal to the semi-finals of Euro 2012 and guided South Korea to the knockout stages of the 2022 World Cup.
During his tenure with the UAE, he oversaw 14 wins, six draws, and six losses – a mixed record for a team with ambitions of reaching the expanded 48-team tournament.
Despite Tuesday’s crucial victory, the UAE’s path to automatic qualification remains precarious. With two games left in the third round of Asian qualifying, the UAE sits third in Group A, four points behind Uzbekistan. Only the top two teams from each group earn direct entry to the World Cup.
Even without Bento, the UAE still has a chance to secure a coveted spot in North America next year. The June 5 showdown against Uzbekistan on home soil is now a must-win fixture. Should they emerge victorious, the gap would narrow to just one point heading into the final round of matches.
Their last qualifier, a trip to Kyrgyzstan on June 10, offers hope, given the UAE’s dominant 3-0 victory in the reverse fixture. Meanwhile, Uzbekistan will close their campaign at home against Qatar, the only side to have beaten them in this stage of qualifying.
Failing to secure second place would see the UAE drop into the fourth round of qualifying, where teams finishing third and fourth in their groups will compete for the remaining two World Cup spots allocated to Asia.
The fallout
It seems the UAE FA’s patience with Paulo Bento’s tenure has worn thin, culminating in his dismissal despite the team being in contention for just their second-ever World Cup appearance.
Concerns over tactical decisions and squad management have overshadowed their campaign, with Bento’s approach coming under increasing scrutiny in recent months.
One of the most puzzling decisions came in the recent clash against Iran, where Bento opted to leave Fabio Lima out of the starting lineup.
Lima, who netted four goals against Qatar in November and has arguably been the UAE’s standout player this campaign, returned to the XI against North Korea and promptly opened the scoring. The omission against Iran, already questioned at the time, now feels even harder to justify.
Bento’s tenure was further marred by a disappointing Gulf Cup campaign earlier this year, where the UAE failed to progress beyond the group stages. A pair of underwhelming draws against Qatar and Oman, followed by a defeat to Kuwait, left the team with just two points and plenty of questions about their direction under the Portuguese coach.
While there were glimpses of promise, such as the emphatic 5-0 victory over Qatar in November and a 3-1 triumph in Doha to kick off third-round qualifying, the team’s lack of consistency and progression ultimately sealed Bento’s fate.
With just a few months remaining before the decisive clashes against Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan, the UAE now faces the challenge of rallying under new leadership. As they prepare for what could be a pivotal showdown with Uzbekistan on June 5, the spotlight will firmly be on the players to step up.
Securing World Cup qualification has always been an uphill battle, but doing so without the coach who started the campaign adds another layer of difficulty to their journey.
