UAE beach soccer coach Marcelo Mendes looks back on the Mundialito de Clubes in Rio and forward to the Samsung Beach Soccer Intercontinental Cup in Dubai, I of II

Nov 15, 2013, 08:06 PM

In a groundbreaking arrangement, UAE national beach soccer coach Marcelo Mendes took charge of the Al Ahli club for the #MundialitoClubes - the Beach Soccer Club World Cup - in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. He was given permission by Al Ahli to populate the squad with national team players - as well as Portugal legends Madjer and Nuno Belchior - as part of his UAE side's build-up to the Samsung Beach Soccer Intercontinental Cup in Dubai.

The side failed to reach the semi-finals of the event, losing to Brazilian sides Vasco da Gama (6-4) - the 2011 champions - and Botafogo (2-0) - the 2011 Copa Brazil winners - but it did beat an FC Barcelona side (3-1) that included four of the Spain players that reached the final of September's FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup in Tahiti.

Here Mendes reflects on the exercise and whether it was the right thing to do to go to Brazil, a 14-hour flight from Dubai, while Russia opted not to send a club side to the tournament and instead took its national side to Dubai a week early to train and prepare for the Samsung event.