Al Wasl F.C. facts for kids
| Full name | Al Wasl Football Club | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | Al-Imbrator (Emperors) Al-Fuhud (Cheetahs) | ||
| Founded | 1960 (as Zamalek) | ||
| Ground | Zabeel Stadium Dubai, United Arab Emirates |
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| Capacity | 8,439 | ||
| Owner | Ahmed bin Rashid Al Maktoum | ||
| Chairman | Ahmad Bin Shafar | ||
| Manager | Miloš Milojević | ||
| League | UAE Pro League | ||
| 2023–24 | UAE Pro League, 1st | ||
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Al Wasl Football Club (Arabic: نادي الوصل لكرة القدم) is a professional football team from Dubai, United Arab Emirates. They play in the United Arab Emirates Football League. The club is part of the larger Al Wasl SC sports club. Their home is Zabeel Stadium in Zabeel, Dubai. Al Wasl is one of the most successful teams in the UAE and Dubai, having won 8 league titles. They also have the biggest group of fans in the UAE!
Contents
History
The Early Days (1950s)
Football started in the UAE in the 1940s, especially in Dubai.
One of the first clubs that later joined to form Al Wasl was called Al Orouba. It was set up in the Jumeirah area of Dubai. Young people from Jumeirah created it as a place to play football. They wore green uniforms. Al Orouba played against other teams from Bur Dubai and Deira.
A special member of Al Orouba was Abdallah Salem Al-Rumeithi. He later helped start Al Wasl SC in 1972 and founded the Al Wasl museum.
Back then, all teams played on sand fields. This was because grass was very hard to keep alive in the hot weather. Other teams at this time included Al-Nasr, Al-Shabab, and Al-Shoulla.
Starting New (1960s)
In the 1960s, another team that would join Al Wasl was formed. The idea for a football club in Zabeel began in 1958. Young people in the area talked about it, even though there were no grass fields and football wasn't very popular yet.
Two years later, in 1960, a team called Al-Zamalek was created in Zabeel. The young players rented a small house and each paid 10 Dirhams to help the club.
In 1962, the club moved to a new house. Sheikh Ahmed bin Rashid Al Maktoum and Sheikh Butti Bin Maktoum Al Maktoum supported them. Later, Sheikh Ahmad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum became the club president. He even played in matches and still leads the club today!
His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum also played for Al-Zamalek as a defender. He was one of the best players before he went to the United Kingdom to study. During this time, Al-Zamalek was probably the best team in Dubai. They won many games against strong teams like Al-Nasr and even teams from outside Dubai.
In 1966, Al-Zamalek won their first trophy, the Canada Dry Football Cup, by beating Al-Shabab. This was just the start of their success.
Becoming Al Wasl (1970s)
In 1972, Sheikh Rashid Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, who was the Vice President of the UAE and ruler of Dubai, helped Al-Zamalek. He built the club's first main building in Zabeel. This building is still used today, right where Zabeel Stadium is.
In 1973, the first UAE League started. Al-Zamalek was one of the first teams to join. They were in a group with other teams, but Al-Oruba (the other team that would join Al Wasl) won the first league title. The coach for Al-Zamalek that season was Zaki Osman.
In 1974, Al Shoula club and Al Orouba club joined together. Then, members and staff from both teams joined Al-Zamalek. This made it one of the biggest clubs in Dubai again. They decided to change the club's name and identity to mark a new beginning. The new team would be based in Zabeel.
Abdallah Salem Al-Rumaithi suggested changing the club's color to yellow. Everyone liked the idea because no other team in the country used yellow. So, yellow became the official color of the team. The new name was Al-Wasl. This name means "connection" in Arabic, showing how the club connects young people through sports. It was also an old name for the city of Dubai.
Al Wasl played its first season as the new team in 1974–1975. They finished 4th out of 6 teams. The next few seasons were tough, and they didn't win any trophies. Other Dubai teams like Al-Nasr and Al-Ahli were more successful. But Al Wasl needed time to grow its players.
Towards the end of the 1970s, things started to improve. More young local players joined the youth teams. The famous Ghanaian football player Mohammed Polo joined the team. He became one of the greatest players to play for Al Wasl.
The Golden Age (1980s)
The 1980s were the best years for Al Wasl. The team had its strongest players ever and won many trophies. They won the league 5 times, which was a record at the time.
In the 1980-81 season, the team went to a training camp in Germany. They trained and played friendly games against German teams. This trip helped the team learn new skills and get ready to challenge for titles back home.
Later, a group went to Brazil to find a new coach and players. There, they met Gílson Nunes, who became Al Wasl's assistant coach.
In 1980, Al Wasl's home stadium, Zabeel Stadium, opened in Zabeel, Dubai. It can hold about 9,000 people. The stadium is still used today and will be made bigger to hold 25,000 people by 2025.
Some important players from this time were:
- Fahad Khamees - An Al Wasl legend and former UAE national team player. He helped Al Wasl win many championships and the UAE national team reach the 1990 FIFA World Cup.
- Mohammed Polo - A legendary Ghanaian player known for his amazing dribbling skills. He played for Al Wasl from 1979 to 1985.
- Zuhair Bakheet - One of the greatest Emirati players ever. He played his whole career for Al Wasl and was a fan favorite.
- Hamad Yousuf - A great goalkeeper for Al Wasl. He helped them win the UAE President's Cup in 1986-87.
In the 1981–1982 season, Al Wasl won their first league title! They beat Al Ain, who came in second place. The team gained a huge number of fans at this time. Al Wasl's fan base became one of the strongest in the UAE, and it still is today.
Al Wasl won the league again in the 1982–1983 season. They finished with 25 points, showing they were a top team in UAE football. In the 1983–84 season, they came second, but then won the league easily the next season. However, they lost the President's Cup final to Sharjah that year.
In 1986, Al Wasl played in the Asian Club Championship but didn't go far. In the 1986–87 season, Al Wasl won the UAE President's Cup for the first time, beating Al Khaleej (now Khor Fakkan Club) 2–0.
In 1987–88, Al Wasl won the league for the fourth time, by a huge 18-point difference. This made Al Wasl the team with the most league wins in UAE history at that time.
From 1988 to 1990, Al Wasl finished second for two more years. This meant they had finished first or second for 9 years in a row! They also played in the Asian club championship again but were eliminated early. Al Wasl ended the 1980s as the most successful team in UAE football.
Ups and Downs (1990s)
The 1990s were not as good for Al Wasl as the 1980s. The 1990–91 season was canceled because of the Gulf War.
Things went back to normal in the 1991–1992 season, and Al Wasl won the League trophy again for the fifth time. In 1992–93, Al Wasl won the UAE Federation Cup.
Al Wasl was chosen to play in the Asian Club Championship. They beat Jordanian team Al Wehdat 7–1. The Jordanian fans were amazed by Al Wasl's playing style. Al Wasl then won both their group games, including a huge 10–1 win against Wohaib FC. This was the biggest win in Asian Championship history! In the semi-final, Al Wasl tied 2–2 with Al Shabab from Saudi Arabia but lost on penalties. Al Wasl finished third in the whole championship, which was a big achievement. This made them the first Emirati team to get a medal in an Asian competition.
The next two seasons were tough, and Al Wasl didn't win any trophies. In 1994–1995, they played in the Asian club championship again but lost in the Quarterfinals. In 1995–96, Al Wasl finished second in the league.
In 1996–1997, Al Wasl won the league for the sixth time! In their final match, they had a special celebration. They brought a small model train onto the field, which became known as "the Al Wasl train."
Around this time, Al Wasl got the nickname "The Sun of the League." This is because even when they didn't win for a while, they always came back to win again, just like the sun always rises.
In 1998, Al Wasl played in the Arab Club Cup and reached the semi-finals. They won their group but lost in the semi-final.
Between 1999 and 2000, Al Wasl was named the UAE's Club of the Century. This was because they had won the UAE League the most times (6 titles) and were the best Emirati club in international competitions.
New Millennium (2000s)
In the 2000s, Al Wasl won only three championships. The team didn't challenge for many titles at first.
In 2000, Al Wasl lost the President's Cup final and finished 7th in the league. In the early to mid-2000s, Al Ain and Al Wahda were the strongest teams in the league.
In 2002, the club legend Zuhair Bakhit retired after playing his whole career for Al Wasl.
Some important players from this time were Rachid Daoudi from Morocco and Farhad Majidi from Iran. Alexandre Oliveira was also a popular player and a club legend.
In 2006–2007, things changed. Al Wasl surprised everyone by winning the league easily, losing only one game all season. They also won the President's Cup, beating Al Ain 4–1. This meant Al Wasl won both the league and the cup in the same year, which is called "the double."
The next year, in 2007–2008, Al Wasl played in the AFC Champions League for the first time. They qualified because they won the league and cup. However, they were eliminated in the group stages.
In the 2009–2010 season, Al Wasl played in the GCC Club Cup. They won their group and reached the semi-final. They beat Al-Nassr FC from Saudi Arabia in a dramatic game that went to penalties. In the final, Al Wasl played against Qatar SC. The first game was a 2–2 draw. For the second game, Al Wasl fans couldn't attend because of an incident in the previous match. So, they watched the game on a big screen outside the stadium. Al-Wasl won the game and became champions of the Arabian Gulf! This was the last championship Al Wasl won for a long time.
Later that season, Al Wasl signed Spanish player Francisco Yeste. He scored a famous goal from the halfway line, which was called "the fastest equalizer in football history."
Tough Times and Comebacks (2010s)
The 2010s were a difficult decade for Al Wasl, as they didn't win any trophies. The team often finished in the middle or lower part of the league table, but they were never close to being relegated.
In 2010, a fan group called Ultras Junoon was started. They were the first "Ultras" group in the Gulf region. They brought new ways of supporting the team, like big banners and special displays, which changed how other teams' fans showed support.
In the 2010–11 season, Al Wasl reached the semi-finals of two cups and finished sixth in the league.
In 2011–2012, something amazing happened: Al Wasl signed the international football legend Diego Maradona as their new coach! This news surprised the whole world. Al Wasl became very popular because of him. Maradona's time as coach was challenging, but he led the team to the semi-final of a cup. He was very popular with the fans and built strong relationships with his players. Al Wasl's shirt sales went up around the world. Maradona was let go at the end of the season, but he remained a club legend.
The 2012–2013 season was also tough. The French coach Bruno Metsu led the team, but he sadly passed away from cancer during his time at Al Wasl.
In the 2014–2015 season, Al Wasl signed two new Brazilian players who would become club legends: Caio Canedo and Fábio Lima. They had a great first season, even though the team finished 6th.
In the 2016–17 season, Al Wasl played very well under their new coach, Rodolfo Arruabuena. They finished second in the league, which meant they qualified for the AFC Champions League. In one amazing game that season, Al Wasl came back from being 3–0 down to win 4–3 in the last few minutes! They also won a game 8–0, which was their highest score.
Al Wasl finished third the next season and qualified for the AFC Champions League again. They also reached the finals of the UAE President's Cup and the League Cup, but lost both.
In the 2018–19 season, Al Wasl finished 9th in the league. However, they had a good run in the Arab Champions League, beating the big Egyptian team Al Ahly before being knocked out in the quarter-finals.
The 2019–2020 season was canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Back to Glory (2020s)
In the 2020–21 season, Al Wasl finished 9th.
In the 2021–22 season, after fans asked for changes, a new team of leaders took over the club. This new leadership, led by Mr. Ahmad Bin Shafar, quickly improved the team's spirit and performance. Fan attendance also increased. They finished 6th, which was an improvement.
In the 2022–23 season, Al Wasl had amazing fan support. The team reached the semi-final of the President's Cup, losing closely to Al Ain. They finished 4th in the league.
The 2023–24 season has been the most successful in over ten years! Al Wasl lost only one game in the league and stayed in first place. They beat their rivals Shabab Al Ahli three times in one month. On May 17, Al Wasl won the President's Cup, beating their rivals Al Nasr 4–0 in front of a huge crowd of 25,000 fans! Al Wasl then won their 8th UAE Pro League title by beating Shabab Al Ahli 3–0, with two games still left to play.
In the 2024-2025 season, Al Wasl has many competitions to play in, including defending their league title and playing in the AFC Champions League Elite. They started the season with a draw, then won their next game. They also won their first AFC Champions League Elite match against Pakhtakor. They beat rivals Al Nasr 3-1 in the Dubai Derby. However, after this, their performance dropped, and they lost to Al Ain and Al Ahli. They also lost to Khorfakkan. But the team started to improve again, beating Al Wahda in the President's Cup. They signed Nigerian player Isaac Success, who scored a winning goal in the 93rd minute in an Asian game.
Rivalries
Al Wasl has two main rivals:
- Al Nasr: They play against each other in the "Bur Dubai Derby."
- Al Ain: Their matches are called the "UAE Classico."
Honours
Local Competitions
- UAE Pro League: 8 times
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- Winners: 1981–82, 1982–83, 1984–85, 1987–88, 1991–92, 1996–97, 2006–07, 2023–24
- UAE President's Cup: 3 times
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- Winners: 1986–87, 2006–07, 2023–24
- UAE Federation Cup: 1 time
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- Winners: 1992–93
- The IFFHS (International Federation of Football History & Statistics) named Al Wasl as the UAE's Club of the 20th Century.
Regional Competitions
- Gulf Club Champions Cup
- Winners (1) : 2009–10
- Runners-up (2): 2005, 2012
- Arab Club Champions Cup
- Semi-finals: 1998
- Quarter-finals: 2018–19
Performance in Asian Competitions
- AFC Champions League: 3 times
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- 2008: Group stage
- 2018: Group stage
- 2019: Group stage
- Asian Club Championship: 4 times
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- 1986: Qualifying Stage
- 1989–90: Qualifying Stage
- 1992–93: Third Place
- 1994–95: Quarter finals
Coaching Staff
| Position | Staff |
|---|---|
| Managers |  Miloš Milojević |
| Assistant managers |  Yaqoob Iman Yameen |
| Saeed Anwar |
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| Alaa Tareeq |
Images for kids
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Diego Maradona during his time as Al Wasl's Coach
See Also
In Spanish: Al-Wasl Football Club para niños
- List of football clubs in the United Arab Emirates
