His father’s passion also runs strong in his three brothers, who like Al Rashdi, can frequently be found with a football close at hand.

“My father, who also played professionally in Kuwait, taught me the game when I was seven,” said Al Rashdi. “I found it very interesting, and I look at it as my hope for a better tomorrow.”

The 17-year-old’s future looks set if his performance at the Qualifiers is anything to go by. He grabbed four goals during their 18-0 defeat of Guam and played a key role in steering Oman towards a second-place finish behind Tajikistan to qualify as one of five best runners-up.

Their entry into the Finals will see the two-time champions return for the 11th time and their first since 2018.

Al Rashdi started playing for Nizwa FC two years ago, where he began to sharpen his skills in the hopes of realising his ambition to be in the same league as his idol Cristiano Ronaldo.

“My strengths lie in my headers, my shooting is very good and dribbling is not a problem. But I need to work on my speed on the ball and maybe my physique.”

The Finals will be only his second international competition, but while Al Rashdi is here to see his team emerge champions, he also believes it will provide him a platform to shine.

“Seeing us qualify was very memorable,” he said. “My team and I are 100% ready to win and while my ultimate aim is to help them, I'm sure I can score more goals, hopefully emerge the top scorer and ensure this will be an unforgettable tournament.”