Following Germany's superb World Cup win, the UAE Football Association has moved to congratulate their European counterparts on their success.
The UAEFA has been in partnership with the German FA (DFB) since May 2009, and this collaboration was extended to 2016 in November last year.
The deal between the two football authorities is a Memorandum of Understanding that allows the pair to exchange administrative and technical experience and expertise in order to develop the game in both nations.
HE Yaqoob Yousuf Al-Serkal, president of the UAEFA was quoted by the FA's official website, said: “The 2014 Brazil Mundial was exciting thanks to the closely contested clashes and the record breaking efforts coupled with the huge attendance which underlines the successful organisational campaign of the world football governing body (FIFA) and the host countries of the football extravaganza which is held every four years.
“The UAEFA is proud with its partnership with the DFB as one of the leading European and international associations which has contributed to the development of the work system within the UAEFA from the administrative and technical perspectives, with many training courses and workshops that have been held for the local coaches and attended by technical experts from Germany.”
Information on coaching, refereeing and talent development are all included in the agreement, as is technology transfer, exchanged training courses and camps as well as friendlies in both countries for all categories of the respective national teams.
It also resulted in the creation of the UAE German Super Cup in 2010 but despite visits from Werder Bremen and HSV, the competition was scrapped in 2011 after just two editions.
That fixture may well be resurrected in the future but Hannelore Ratzeburg, vice president of the DFB, said that it relies on the agreement of both the Arabian Gulf League and German Bundesliga.
Despite it being out of the DFB's hands, Ratzeburg said "there’s big hope to see them agreeing on it in the future.”
