World Cup dreams take shape for Oman’s U15s

MUSCAT: Oman’s Under-15 football team has begun its first training camp in Muscat, with 22 players competing for 14 places at the inaugural FIFA U-15 World Cup & Festival in Azerbaijan from October 22 to 31.

The camp, running from September 12 to 17, brings together players identified through the youth league and a scouting process at clubs outside the competition. It gives the coaching staff its first opportunity to assess the group before choosing the squad that will represent Oman at the new Fifa event.

Team manager Khalid al Wahaibi said the selection process began with players observed in the youth league. The staff then visited clubs and arranged assessment sessions for their players, spending approximately a week with different groups before settling on the initial 22-man list.

“These 22 players will be assessed, and 14 will be selected to take part in the FIFA event in Azerbaijan,” al Wahaibi said. He added that the Oman Football Association had followed the team’s preparations and provided administrative, logistical and financial support.

Head coach Nasser al Mayahi said the players had made an encouraging start to the camp. Their efforts showed that they understood the responsibility of wearing the national shirt and were eager to earn a place in the squad.

“The camp came after a selection process, and it is also an opportunity to choose the players who will represent us in the coming competition,” al Mayahi said. “They are working hard and showing a strong desire to represent Oman.”

Although he wants a respectable performance in Azerbaijan, the coach said results were only one part of the team’s mission. His priority is to establish an identity and help develop young players who can continue together through the national age-group system.

Oman’s Under-15 players take part in a training session during their first national team camp in Muscat.

“Our main goal is to build an identity for this team and develop a generation that can become a foundation for the Under-17 national team,” he said. Al Mayahi welcomed the support shown by the media and Omani sporting community, saying it would encourage the players at the beginning of their journey.

Nizwa Club player Al Mukhtar bin Jamal al Rawahi described his first national team camp as a dream come true. He said the coaches had helped the squad learn discipline, while the players were forming a close bond. He hopes to progress towards the first team and said the prospect of playing abroad had given the group a shared purpose.

Ahmed Juma of Al Musannah Club said the players had learned respect, discipline and sportsmanship from Al Mayahi during the opening sessions. He knows that selection cannot be taken for granted: the coach is assessing each player’s physical condition, football ability and level before deciding who will travel. Ahmed said his ambition was to seize the opportunity and meet the expectations of Omani supporters.

On Monday, Al Mouj Muscat announced a partnership with the Oman Football Association to support the team’s participation in Azerbaijan, where Oman will take part in the first edition of the FIFA event.

The 22 players called up for the camp are Sulaiman bin Khalifa al Mufarji, Mohammed bin Ahmed al Araimi, Mohammed bin Thamer al Kahali, Sulaiman bin Hilal al Ghuraibi, Moayad bin Younis al Ghassani, Abdulrab bin Idris al Nasri, Osama bin Nabil Bait Faraj Allah, Ammar bin Khalid al Shizawi, Sultan bin Nasser al Shukaili, Turki Talal , Ahmed bin Juma al Sarhi, Al Yazan bin Talal al Rashdi, Mohammed bin Ayoub al Sharji, Siraj bin Ali al Barhi, Yaseen bin Asaad al Jabri, Ayman bin Ali al Ghafari, Salim bin Nabil al Awadi, Ammar bin Abdulkarim al Jabri, Al Mukhtar bin Jamal al Rawahi, Yousuf bin Ibrahim al Buraiki, Rashid bin Khalid al Buraidi and Ali bin Qasim al Habsi.