"Khalid Al-Harban in the Memory of the Gulf" by Nasser Al-Anzi

Qatar’s national team, the “Maroon,” was the first to break the monopoly held by Kuwait and Iraq over the first ten Gulf Cup titles. They won the championship in the 11th edition, hosted by Doha in 1992. On that day, Mubarak Mustafa and Mahmoud Soufi shone, leading their country to the podium at Khalifa International Stadium. Today, the “Maroon” begins their first campaign in the tournament and are strong contenders for a fourth title. They still remember their victory over Saudi Arabia’s “Green” in the final of Gulf Cup 22 at King Fahd Stadium.

Bahraini goalkeeper Hamoud Sultan says that Kuwaiti strikers Jassim Yaqoub and Faisal Al-Dakhil used to terrify him in Gulf Cup tournaments. Unluckily, the first tournament he participated in, held in Doha in 1976, saw him face both players, and Bahrain lost 5-2, with each of them scoring a goal. Bahrain’s “Red” waited a long time to realize their dream, finally achieving it in Gulf Cup 24 under the guidance of Helio Souza, who is currently the coach of our national team. They then repeated the title in the most recent edition. Bahrain’s “Red” are also strong contenders to retain their title, and any coach wishing to avoid losing to Bahrain must first neutralize Mohammed Marhoon.

Khalid Al-Harban, Mohammed Ramadan, Yousef Saif, Ali Hamid, Mohammed Al-Bakr, Adnan Hamad, and Muayd Al-Badri are among the great commentators whose voices we have grown accustomed to in Gulf Cup tournaments. Our beloved commentator Khalid Al-Harban was a distinctive figure in his field, and his fame overshadowed some players, while contributing to the fame of most others. One of his quotes, etched in the memory of fans, comes from the final of the fourth edition: “Al-Anbari, ya b qool, Al-Anbari, ya b qool.”