🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates
Asia · FIFA ARE
Key Statistics
4
Matches
0-0-4
Record (W-D-L)
3
Goals Scored
-10
Goal Difference
0
Points
0
Titles 🏆
10.6M
Population
$779.7B
GDP
Editorial Analysis & Historical Context
Rigorous Analysis: The United Arab Emirates showed up to the 1990 World Cup with massive oil wallets, gold-plated dreams, and absolutely no idea how to defend. They left as the ultimate tournament punching bag, conceding 11 goals in three games.
They treated the tournament like a luxurious sightseeing tour, leaving opposing forwards with enough space to host a desert safari. A legendary display of paying for the ticket but forgetting to play the game.
Tournament History
| Year | Host | MP | W | D | L | GF | GA | Pts | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Canada / Mexico / United States | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | — |
| 1990 | Italy | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 11 | 0 | — |
| Total | 2 editions | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 13 | 0 | — |
World Cup Appearances
1990, 2026
Economic & Demographic Football Efficiency
United Arab Emirates has a population of 10.6M and an estimated GDP of $779.7B. Bilardo Water normalizes goals, points, and championships against demographic and economic scale to measure true football efficiency beyond raw financial advantage.
Per Capita Rankings
| Metric | Value | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Goals per million people | 0.28 | #54 / 84 |
| Points per million people | — | #70 / 84 |
| Wins per million people | — | #62 / 84 |
| Trophies per 10M people | — | #10 / 84 |
Per GDP Rankings
| Metric | Value | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Goals per $1B GDP | 0.00 | #72 / 84 |
| Points per $1B GDP | — | #70 / 84 |
| Wins per $1B GDP | — | #65 / 84 |
| Trophies per $10B GDP | — | #10 / 84 |
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