Male' Maldives: Maldives head coach István Urbányi has acknowledged the significant challenges facing the national team ahead of their opening match against Afghanistan in the Diamond Jubilee International Tournament, while insisting the competition presents an important opportunity in the country's ongoing football rebuild.
The tournament, organized to celebrate the 75th anniversary of Maldivian football, will see Maldives face Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan over the next ten days at the National Stadium in Malé.
Speaking during the pre-match press conference, Urbányi said injuries and squad limitations continue to test his preparations, but emphasized that rebuilding the national team remains the primary objective.
The Hungarian coach revealed that injuries to defenders Samooh Ali and Irufan Mohamed are among several obstacles facing the squad. However, he noted that the challenges extend beyond player availability.
According to Urbányi, Maldivian football is currently in a rebuilding phase at a time when many countries in the region are making significant progress.
He pointed out that Maldives has a relatively small player pool compared to its competitors and faces an unusual squad composition, with a large number of experienced players in their thirties alongside a younger generation still emerging from youth football.
"The reality is that we don't have a large player pool to choose from," Urbányi said. "We have players who are 30, 32, 33 years old and even older, while many of the younger players are coming directly from youth football."
The coach also highlighted the physical challenge posed by the tournament's opponents, particularly Afghanistan, whose squad features players competing across various European leagues.
While joking about the considerable size difference between the teams, Urbányi stressed that Maldives must rely on qualities beyond physical attributes.
"If football was decided by kilograms and centimetres, we would probably need an ambulance beside the field all the time," he said.
"We have to bring different qualities into the game."
Despite the challenges, Urbányi remains optimistic about his team's prospects. He believes football's unpredictability gives every team an opportunity to compete regardless of the odds.
"The beauty of football is that there is no such thing as having no chance," he said. "What we can always put onto the field is effort."
Urbányi also emphasized the importance of restoring pride and respect to the national team setup. He said players must earn that respect through their performances rather than words.
"I always tell the players that they have to earn respect. National team players have to be respected, the Football Association has to be respected, and everyone working for the sport has to be respected because of what they do, not because of what they say."
Urbányi admitted that winning the tournament may not be the most realistic measure of success for his side at this stage of the rebuilding process. Instead, he views the competition as an opportunity to evaluate his squad against stronger international opposition.
While acknowledging that every team enters a tournament hoping to win, he noted that statistical realities paint a different picture. Nevertheless, he welcomed the prospect of opening the competition against Afghanistan, describing it as an ideal test for a developing Maldives side.
"I was actually glad we would start against Afghanistan," Urbányi said.
"Straight away we will face players coming from different levels and different divisions across Europe. It will show us exactly where we are and what we need to improve."
Maldives will begin their Diamond Jubilee International Tournament campaign against Afghanistan before taking on Bangladesh and Pakistan in the remaining fixtures. For Urbányi, the tournament represents an important step in assessing the progress of a national team attempting to rebuild and compete once again among the region's strongest football nations.
