The UAE Football Association has announced that former South Korean national team boss Paulo Bento has officially become the head coach of the UAE national team. He is a Portuguese national and has signed a three-year contract.
This is Bento's third time coaching the national team. He coached the Portuguese national team from 2010 to 2014.In 2018, he began coaching South Korea, leading them to a top-16 finish at the Qatar World Cup and leaving after a failed contract extension with the Korean Football Association.
At the press conference for his appointment, Bento said:- "I watched a lot of matches in the UAE. Next, we will participate in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers and the Asian Cup in January next year. For now, I've got enough information to select good players. I came here to work, not to go on vacation. Victory will make the fans happy."
The UAE reached their last World Cup in 1990 and Bento, 54, leads the team with the aim of taking them to the 2026 World Cup.
