Shabab Al Ahli Club facts for kids
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| Full name | Shabab Al Ahli | ||
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| Nickname(s) | Al Fursan Al Humur (The Red Knights) | ||
| Founded | 1958 | ||
| Ground | Rashid Stadium | ||
| Capacity | 8,015 | ||
| Owner | Hamdan Al Maktoum | ||
| Chairman | Ahmed Al Maktoum | ||
| Head coach | Paulo Sousa | ||
| League | UAE Pro League | ||
| 2024–25 | UAE Pro League, 1st of 14 (Champions) | ||
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Shabab Al Ahli Club is a professional football team from Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Its name means "National Youth Club" in Arabic. The club plays in the UAE Pro League, which is the top football league in the UAE.
Shabab Al Ahli is one of the most successful football clubs in the UAE. They have won many titles, including 9 league championships and 11 UAE President's Cup titles. They also won 5 ADIB Cup titles, 7 UAE Super Cup titles, and other regional cups. With a total of 36 titles, they are the second most successful team in the UAE and the most successful in Dubai.
In 2017, two other Dubai clubs, Dubai CSC and Al Shabab, joined with Al Ahli. This created the new club known as Shabab Al Ahli.
Contents
Club History
How Shabab Al Ahli Started
The club we know today as Shabab Al Ahli began as Al Ahli Club. It was formed in 1970 when two local football teams, Al Wehdah and Al Shabab (which started in 1958), decided to merge. This happened after they trained together in Egypt. Four years later, another local team called Al Najah also joined them.
The name "Al Ahli" means "domestic" or "national" in Arabic. The club quickly became successful. They won three UAE Arabian Gulf League titles in the 1970s. They continued to win more titles in 2006, 2009, 2014, 2016, 2023, and their ninth league title in 2025.
The Golden Age of the 1970s
Just four years after it was founded, Al Ahli won the UAE Arabian Gulf League twice in a row, in 1974-75 and 1975-76. They won it again in 1979-80, which allowed them to keep the league trophy forever. This successful team was led by coach Mohamed Shehta and included famous players like Hassan Nazari and Hassan Roshan.
During this time, the team also won three President Cup titles. Al Ahli became one of the most popular sports teams in the UAE, with many fans from their hometown.
Bouncing Back to Success
After a period of less success, Al Ahli started to shine again. In the early 2000s, the famous Iranian player Ali Karimi played for Al Ahli. He was the league's top scorer in 2003-04 and was named Asian Footballer of the Year in 2004.
In 2006, under the new leadership of Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the club won its fourth league title. They continued to be very successful, winning six more President Cups in the years that followed.
In 2009, Al Ahli played in the 2009 FIFA Club World Cup because they were the UAE Pro-League champions and Abu Dhabi was hosting the event. They played one game but lost to Auckland City.
The club kept getting stronger. In 2010, new talented players like Fabio Cannavaro, Grafite, and Ricardo Quaresma joined local stars like Ahmed Khalil and Ismael Al Hammadi. They won the UAE President's Cup and the Arabian Gulf Cup in 2012.
When Romanian coach Cosmin Olaroiu arrived in 2013, the team had a fantastic 2013–14 season. Al Ahli won their sixth league title with a record number of points (62). They also won the Arabian Gulf Cup and two Arabian Gulf Super Cups. In 2015, they reached the 2015 AFC Champions League Final but narrowly lost. That same year, Ahmed Khalil was named the Asian Footballer of the Year. In 2016, they won their seventh domestic league title.
The 2017 Merge
In 2017, a big change happened. The clubs Dubai CSC and Al Shabab officially joined with Al-Ahli FC. This created the new club called Shabab Al Ahli. This merge was a big deal because it brought together rival teams. Even though it meant they couldn't play in the AFC Champions League for three years, the new team quickly found success. They won the League Cup and President's Cup in 2019.
Club Identity
Crest and Nickname
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The Shabab Al Ahli logo from 2017 to the present.
The original Al Ahli logo showed a falcon on top of a football. In 2006, the club changed its nickname to "Red Knights" from "Red Devils." The logo also changed to a horse head shape with the letters "AC" (for Al Ahli Club). This new logo represents strength and high spirits, matching their new nickname.
Home Grounds
Rashid Stadium is the main home ground for Shabab Al Ahli. It is a stadium in Dubai used mostly for football and rugby matches. The stadium can hold 12,000 people and was built in 1948.
After the merge in 2017, Shabab Al Ahli also uses Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum Stadium and Al Aweer Stadium as additional home grounds.
Club Rivalries
Shabab Al Ahli has some exciting rivalries with other football clubs.
Rivalry with Al Ain
The rivalry between Shabab Al Ahli and Al Ain is becoming very popular. These two clubs often competed for championships in the 1970s and even more so after 2010. Both teams are considered among the best in the UAE, and their matches always create a lively atmosphere for fans.
Dubai Derbies
Al Nasr and Al Wasl are also neighboring rivals in Dubai. They compete to be known as the best team in the city.
The "Old Dubai Derby" is a special match played between Al Ahli and Al Nasr. This rivalry goes back to the early 1970s, even before the league was officially formed. Back then, these two were the top teams in Dubai. Their games attracted fans from all over the UAE, and even from countries like Kuwait and Jordan.
Other Sports at the Club
Shabab Al Ahli is not just about football! The club is also known as Al Ahli Castle because it has many other professional sports teams. These include:
- Basketball (see Shabab Al Ahli Basketball)
- Volleyball
- Handball
- Track sports
- Table tennis
- Track cycling
The club also supports cultural activities and community services. The Al Ahli Drama club, started in 1981, promotes Emirati arts and plays. These plays often focus on UAE traditions, heritage, and current events. The club's beach soccer team even won the UAE championship in 2021.
Partnership with La Liga
In 2016, Al Ahli made history by becoming the first foreign club to sign a partnership agreement with La Liga, which is Spain's top football league. This agreement means that La Liga shares its experience to help Shabab Al Ahli grow and develop.
Part of this partnership includes a training program for youth coaches from Spain. Also, the club's younger teams get invitations to important tournaments in Spain. This gives them a great chance to play against top-level teams and gain valuable experience.
Club Records
| Season | Lvl. | Tms. | Pos. | President's Cup | League Cup |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017–18 | 1 | 12 | 5th | Semi-Finals | Semi-Finals |
| 2018–19 | 1 | 14 | 2nd | Champions | Champions |
| 2019–20 | 1 | 14 | 1st | Quarter-Finals | Runner-ups |
| 2020–21 | 1 | 14 | 3rd | Champions | Champions |
| 2021–22 | 1 | 14 | 5th | Quarter-Finals | Runner-ups |
| 2022–23 | 1 | 14 | 1st | Quarter-Finals | Quarter-Finals |
| 2023–24 | 1 | 14 | 2nd | Semi-Finals | Quarter-Finals |
| 2024–25 | 1 | 14 | 1st | Champions | Runner-up |
Notes The 2019–20 UAE football season was cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Arab Emirates.
Key
- Pos. = Position
- Tms. = Number of teams
- Lvl. = League
Club Officials
| Position | Staff |
|---|---|
| Head Coach |  Paulo Sousa |
| Assistant Coach | Manuel Pereira Víctor Sánchez Lladò |
| Goalkeeper Coach |  Leandro Yoshinaga Suzuki |
| Fitness Trainer | Manuel Rivero Lluis Sala Pere |
| Doctor |  Kreismir Kos |
| Physioterapist |  Maharazad Kaneani Vasile Clofu Mohamed Salah Eldin |
| Masseur | Tomislav Cerovecki |
| Interpreter | Kareem Mohammed Shalabi |
| Manager |  Khaled Alkaabi Ahmed Ali-Shah |
Current Football Squad
As of UAE Pro-League:
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Players on Loan
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Club Leadership
Board of Directors
- Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Al Maktoum – President
- Sheikh Maktoum Bin Mohammed Al Maktoum – Vice President
- Sheikh Ahmed Bin Mohammed Al Maktoum – Chairman
- Sheikh Mansour Bin Mohammed Al Maktoum – Deputy Chairman
Shabab Al Ahli Football Company Board Directors
- Sheikh Mansour Bin Mohammed Al Maktoum - Chairman
- Sami Al Qamzi - Deputy Chairman
Club Achievements
These are the main titles Shabab Al Ahli has won:
Domestic Titles
- UAE Pro League: 9 times
- Champions: 1974–75, 1975–76, 1979–80, 2005–06, 2008–09, 2013–14, 2015–16, 2022–23, 2024–25
- UAE President's Cup: 11 times (a record!)
- Champions: 1974–75, 1976–77, 1987–88, 1995–96, 2001–02, 2003–04, 2007–08, 2012–13, 2018–19, 2020–21, 2024–25
- UAE League Cup: 5 times (a record!)
- Champions: 2011–12, 2013–14, 2016–17, 2018–19, 2020–21
- UAE Super Cup: 7 times (a record!)
- Champions: 2009, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2020, 2023, 2024
- Joint League: 1 time
- Champions: 1974–75
Regional Titles
- Qatar–UAE Super Shield: 1 time
- Champions: 2023–24
- Qatar–UAE Challenge Shield: 1 time
- Champions: 2024–25
- Emirati-Moroccan Super Cup: 1 time
- Champions: 2016
Continental Titles
- AFC Champions League
- Runners-up (1): 2015
Only titles won by Al-Ahli and Shabab Al Ahli are counted here. For titles won by the clubs that merged into Shabab Al Ahli, you can look at Al Shabab SC and Dubai CSC.
See also
In Spanish: Shabab Al-Ahli Dubai FC para niños
- List of football clubs in the United Arab Emirates
