The Saudi national team was crowned champion of the twenty-seventh Gulf Cup “Gulf 27”, which was held over the past few days in the city of Jeddah in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, after defeating its Emirati counterpart by two goals to nil in the match that brought them together yesterday in the final of the tournament at King Abdullah Sports City Stadium “Al-Enmaa Stadium”. The coronation ceremony was attended by Gianni Infantino, President of FIFA, His Excellency Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa bin Ahmed Al Thani, President of the Gulf Football Association, and Badr bin Sulaiman Al-Raziza, President of the Saudi Football Association.
Al-Akhdar scored the first goal in the 11th minute through Hammam Al-Hammami, before Firas Al-Braikan added the second goal for Saudi Arabia in the 14th minute of the first half, bringing the match to an end with this result, and Al-Akhdar won the title.
Al-Akhdar won the title for the fourth time in its history, making it equal to the Iraqi team in the number of titles in second place behind the Kuwaiti team, which tops the ranking of teams that have won the Gulf Cup title throughout the tournament’s history with 10 titles. With this historic victory and coronation, the Saudi national team won the Arabian Gulf Cup for the fourth time in its history, after winning the title during the 1994 – 2002 – 2004 – 2026 editions.
Moroccan referee Jalal Jaid awarded a penalty kick for the Emirati team during the 38th minute, but after returning to the video assistant technology (VAR), he canceled it amid great joy from the Saudi fans.
Before the end of the match (4+90 minutes), the referee sent off substitute Khaled Al-Dhanhani, the Emirates player, due to objection and assaulting the referee, so the player left the field directly.
For the best player in the tournament.. Prince Khaled Al-Faisal Award
The share of Hammam Al-Hammami
The Gulf Football Association announced that the Best Player Award in the “27th Gulf Arab Championship” was named after His Royal Highness Prince Khalid bin Faisal bin Abdulaziz, Advisor to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, Emir of the Makkah Region, in appreciation of His Highness’s contributions to the march of Gulf sports, and the association of his name with the history of the Arabian Gulf Cup Championship since its inception, and the award was won yesterday by Saudi national team player Hammam Al-Hammami.
Prince Khaled Al-Faisal is considered the initiator of the idea of holding the Arabian Gulf Cup Football Championship, which His Highness proposed in 1968 AD when he was Director General of Youth Welfare, before the idea turned into reality with the launch of the first edition in the Kingdom of Bahrain in 1970 AD, so that the tournament continued its journey for more than five decades as one of the most prominent sporting events that brings together the people of the Gulf countries.
Firas Al-Braikan also won the tournament’s top scorer, Mohammed Al-Owais, the Saudi national team’s goalkeeper, won the best goalkeeper award, and Adel Qasim, the star of the Yemeni national team, won the best young player award.
“Peace, peace, oh my God.”
The closing ceremony of “Khaleeji 27” greeted the guests of the tournament before the start of the final match, to the tune of the song “Peace, peace, people of Jeddah,” which was sung with new lyrics, beginning with the phrase “Peace, peace, oh my God,” in celebration of the teams that came to Jeddah.
The ceremony lasted for about 5 minutes, at Al-Enmaa Stadium, the scene of the final match between the Saudi national team and its Emirati counterpart.
The new update to the song preserved its Hejazi folkloric character, while choosing words that suit the occasion.
On the center circle, a model of the championship trophy was installed, while the display was accompanied by fireworks and laser lights that lit up all parts of the stadium, in a celebratory painting that the fans in the stands interacted with.
The ceremony was attended by a number of dignitaries and guests, led by Prince Saud bin Mishaal, Deputy Emir of the Makkah Al-Mukarramah Region, Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al-Faisal, Minister of Sports, and Swiss Gianni Infantino, President of the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA), in addition to sports and official figures.
62,827 spectators grace the final
In a wonderful crowd atmosphere, the number of spectators in attendance for the 27th Gulf Cup final between Saudi Arabia and the Emirates reached 62,827 spectators, providing the audience with a distinctive scene and adding an exceptional atmosphere to the match. The Saudi national team was crowned champion after defeating the Emirates with two unanswered goals, in a special football night that witnessed a wonderful crowd presence and great enthusiasm in the stands.