Haydoo - Our Camel, Lovely Camel
Here is some interesting information regarding the Kuwait national squad. It was written by ilbaasha and edited by me.
Why is the Kuwait national team called Al-Azraq?
Al-Azraq refers to the period of time at the start of February when it becomes extremely cold after few days of warmth and people start to wear winter clothes again. This is the last chance of getting rain in Kuwait and it indicates the start of the end for the winter season.
The national team mascot is Haydoo the camel; the word is used as a “sit down” order to camels according to the Kuwaiti accent dictionary.
Why and how was Haydoo used as the mascot?
Back in October 1981 Kuwait was playing a world cup qualifying match in Oakland, New Zealand where the Kiwi fans had signs reading “Go Back to your Camels!” which they were waving as the Kuwaiti team came onto the field. Kuwait won that match 2 goals to 1.
When it was the home game later that year, 100 camels were brought on the pitch before the match to show that Kuwait was proud of its past.
Kuwait ended up qualifying to the 1982 world Cup in Spain and was the first Arab country from Asia to ever qualify. A Spanish newspaper later claimed that the Kuwait national team will be late to the World Cup because they would be “traveling on the backs of their camels!”. So, the Kuwaiti Football Association decided to use a camel (named Haydoo) as their mascot.
Unlike the newspaper had predicted, the Kuwaiti team ended up arriving early. Too early actually and no one, not the journalists or the locals knew that the Kuwaiti team was even in Spain! To attract attention, the head of the Kuwaiti Football Association told a French journalist who there to cover the arrival of the French team that “The Kuwaiti team would withdraw from the competition unless they were allowed to bring their mascot.” Within hours the hotel was packed with journalists wanting to find out more about the mascot
The Spanish authorities and the hotel manager finally allowed the Kuwaiti team to bring their camel as long as it was left in the backyard of the hotel. The head of the Kuwaiti Football Association then called the minister of sport in Morroco to send a camel as soon as possible to Spain. He also ordered a T-shirt to be made for the camel. This hype and the Camel mascot helped make Kuwait’s presence extremely felt by the locals and journalists.
Haydoo, has been the mascot for the Kuwaiti national team ever since.
You can listen to the Haydoo song (its Arabic with some English). The file is in Real Audio format. [ Download Song]
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21 Comments, add your own...
1. Laziale | December 4th, 2006 at 12:53 pm
They made us proud
2. Armani_Exchange | December 4th, 2006 at 1:29 pm
That period won’t happen again with the #$% mentality that rules the Kuwaiti football federation!
3. Marzouq | December 4th, 2006 at 1:34 pm
Now thats fantastic! The was great PR work on their part, and back in the day they played hard but now its just sad! I wish our team was playing as good as them, and we need them to be as good as before!
4. Mark | December 4th, 2006 at 2:14 pm
Kuwait was cooler in the 80s.
5. bag | December 4th, 2006 at 2:47 pm
Now Kuwaiti Football Association should use “Camel Toe” as their mascot .You can enjoy listening to the camel toe song too.
6. Musaed | December 4th, 2006 at 3:04 pm
what a golden days
7. KtheKuwaiti | December 4th, 2006 at 3:11 pm
I have that record on vinyl!
8. moayad | December 4th, 2006 at 3:25 pm
Those were the days :)
9. holla | December 4th, 2006 at 4:43 pm
it was even cooler in the 70’s when alcohol was everywhere :D
actually kuwait was ok up until the invasion. then it just all went to hell in a handbasket
10. holla | December 4th, 2006 at 4:44 pm
oure camill, sixxy camell
11. DesertExpat | December 4th, 2006 at 4:47 pm
Nice - but I think you meant “Aukland, New Zealand”
“Oakland” is near LA, California
12. do0da | December 4th, 2006 at 5:54 pm
I love that song =]
Rumor has it that Camel helped fertilize the pitch that world cup =P I also heard we gave him to a Spanish Zoo after the world cup.
13. zoomzoom | December 4th, 2006 at 5:54 pm
i agree with holla, kuwait before invasion is very open minded
kuwaiti work every where , lega alchol, girls without hijab and no islamic people
14. Kisha | December 4th, 2006 at 8:14 pm
7arakaat walla liq8
7asballi Kanaw gam ee8alddon il wa6anii :p
6il3 ina 3indna history;)
15. anon | December 4th, 2006 at 8:17 pm
Yes, i agree.Right after the islamic revelution in iran effected the whole region indirectly.. then, all of a sudden, hijabs started to pop up every where in kuwait.
Soon we will open up again and will be the pearl of the mid east again. wow, i’ll visit a pub after a hard days work in a few years, im sick of paying KD60 a bottle.
It really pisses me off seeing where our beloved contry is heading. I cringe with discust every time i see long beards and short dishdashas.
I think the rulers are giving them too much face.
16. TweeZ | December 4th, 2006 at 8:23 pm
I agree with Holla. Fuck the situation we are in today! Back in the day, people would rally up or unite for beneficial reasons. Today, we want our debts and loans written off!
17. asmaa | December 4th, 2006 at 8:58 pm
wow.. intresting.. never knew that
thanks mark..
golden days.. hmmm
18. holla | December 4th, 2006 at 11:05 pm
kuwait went to hell after the invasion not bc of the effects of it, but bc of the stupid cunt religious ppl that used it as an excuse to go back to the dark ages.
they capitalised on ppl’s sorrow and those grieving ppl were also stupid and weak enough to just give up and be controlled. too bad it’s too late now, it’s only going to keep getting worse.
19. vampire | December 5th, 2006 at 12:48 pm
first time heard the story behind it
thanks for sharing the info
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