Haydo, the official mascot for the Khaleeji Zain 26, has become a fans favourite but the story behind the cuddly camel is rooted way back in the early 1980s when Kuwait first announced itself as a force in world football.
Haydo is being expertly used to market the prestigious football tournament to a young audience, inspiring a new generation to embrace sport and healthy living as a part of their everyday lives.
But the name has echoed around the stadiums of Kuwait since The Blues’ memorable 1982 run to the FIFA World Cup in Spain, when Kuwaiti fans adopted the camel as their mascot with a song that was sang all the way to the finals, and has remained a fans’ favourite more than 40 years later.
The song
The ‘Haydo’ song’s lyrics were written by poet, Abdul Latif Al-Bannai, composed by Youssef Al-Mahna and sang by Abdul Karim Abdul Qader, Abdul Mohsen Al-Mahna and Ghraid Al-Shate.
The song can be heard resonating from the stands at Kuwait matches, and has helped to spur them on to a record 10 Arabian Gulf Cup titles.
It was an anthem during the country’s golden era, inspiring the likes of Jassim Yaqoub, Faisal Al-Dakhil, Abdulaziz Al-Anbari, Saad Al-Houti and Fathi Kamil to become the best team in Asia.
Haydo’s origins
Kuwait’s rise to prominence in global football in 1982 saw the world sit up and take notice. But one particular World Cup qualifying match in New Zealand when local fans and the media were critical of The Blues and their desert origins, sparked something special. The qualifying group also included China and Saudi Arabia.
In response for the return leg, four camels were paraded around the pitch prior to the match with New Zealand at the Mohammed Al-Hamad Stadium in Al-Qadsia Club. The match finished 2-2, with Kuwait already qualified for the FIFA World Cup finals in Spain, following victory over Saudi Arabia in the previous match.
The song was created and has become ever-present since, and will fill the stands of the Jaber Al-Ahmad International Stadium once again for the opening match on December 21 between Kuwait and Oman.
The Khaleeji Zain 26 will run through until January 3, with UAE and Qatar also joining Kuwait and Oman in Group A, while the reigning champions, Iraq, are joined by Yemen, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia in Group B.
