Al Wasl F.C. facts for kids
| Full name | Al Wasl Football Club | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | Emperors (الإمبراطور) Cheetahs (الفهود) |
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| Founded | 1960 | ||
| Ground | Zabeel Stadium | ||
| Capacity | 8,439 | ||
| Owner | Ahmed bin Rashid Al Maktoum | ||
| Chairman | Ahmad Bin Shafar | ||
| Head coach | Luís Castro | ||
| League | UAE Pro League | ||
| 2024–25 | UAE Pro League, 4th of 14 | ||
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Al Wasl Football Club (Arabic: نادي الوصل لكرة القدم) is a professional football team from Zabeel, Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates. They play in the UAE Pro League, which is the top football league in the UAE.
The team plays its home games at Zabeel Stadium. Al Wasl is one of the most successful teams in the UAE. They have won eight league titles, with their most recent win in 2024. Famous football legend Diego Maradona was their coach in 2011 and 2012.
Contents
Club History: How Al Wasl Started
Early Days and Foundation
The idea for a football club in Zabeel began in 1958. People in the area talked about starting a team. Back then, there were no grass fields for football. The club officially started in 1960. It was first called Al-Zamalek. Members paid a small fee 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 the team. Sheikh Ahmad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum became the club president. He even played in matches with the team. He still leads the club today.
Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum also played for Al-Zamalek. He was a defender and a very good player. The team won many games with him. Al-Zamalek was one of the best teams in Dubai. They beat strong teams like Al-Nasr and Al-Wahda. They even won against teams from outside Dubai.
Al-Zamalek was known for winning games. In 1966, they won their first trophy. They defeated Al-Shabab in the Canada Dry Football Cup final. This was just the beginning of their success story.
The 1970s: A New Name and Colors
In 1972, Sheikh Rashid Bin Saeed Al Maktoum helped the club. He built the first headquarters for Al-Zamalek in Zabeel. This building is still used today at Zabeel Stadium.
The first UAE League started in 1973. Al-Zamalek was one of the first teams to join. They played in a group with other teams. They were eliminated, and Al-Oruba won the first league title. Their coach at this time was Zaki Osman.
In 1974, two other clubs, Al Shoula and Al Orouba, joined Al-Zamalek. This made the club much bigger. They decided to change the club's name and identity. This was a fresh start for the team. The new club would be based in Zabeel.
The club's color was changed to yellow. This was a unique color that no other team used. So, yellow became the official color of the team. The new name chosen was Al-Wasl. This name means "connection" in Arabic. It also used to be the old name for the city of Dubai. Al Wasl played its first season in 1974–1975. They finished fourth out of six teams. The next few seasons were tough, and they didn't win any trophies.
By the late 1970s, things started to improve. More young local players joined the team. The team also signed Mohammed Polo, a famous Ghanaian football player. He became one of the greatest players for Al Wasl.
The Golden 1980s
The 1980s were a "golden age" for Al Wasl. The team had its best players ever. They won the league five times. This was a record for any team at that time. The decade started without a trophy. But Al Wasl's hard work paid off later.
In the 1980-81 season, the team trained in Germany. They played friendly games against German teams. This trip helped them learn new skills. It prepared them to compete for league titles.
Later, a group from Al Wasl went to Brazil. They looked for new coaches and players. They met Gílson Nunes, who became an assistant coach.
In 1980, Zabeel Stadium opened in Dubai. It can hold about 9,000 people. It is still Al Wasl's home stadium today. It will be made bigger to hold 25,000 people in 2025.
Some famous players from this time include Fahad Khamees, Mohammed Polo, Zuhair Bakheet, and Hamad Yousuf. Fahad Khamees and Zuhair Bakheet played for the UAE national team in the 1990 FIFA World Cup.
Al Wasl won their first league title in the 1981–1982 season. They won again in the 1982–1983 season. This showed they were a leading team in Emirati football. They finished second in 1983–84 but won the league easily the next season. However, they lost the Presidents Cup final in 1984.
In 1985–1986, Al Wasl came in second place again. They were runners-up in the Presidents Cup in 1986. In the 1986–87 season, Al Wasl won the UAE President's Cup for the first time. They beat Khor Fakkan Club 2–0.
In 1987–88, Al Wasl won their fourth league title. This made them the team with the most league titles in the UAE. They held this record until the early 2000s. From 1988 to 1990, Al Wasl finished second for two more years. This meant they were either first or second for nine years in a row. Al Wasl ended the 1980s as the most successful team in the country.
The 1990s: Continued Success and Asian Recognition
Al Wasl's performance changed in the 1990s. The 1990–91 season was canceled due to events in Kuwait.
In the 1991–1992 season, Al Wasl won the League trophy again. This was their fifth league title. In the 1992–93 season, Al Wasl finished second in the league. They also won the UAE Federation Cup. They competed in the Asian Club Championship. Al Wasl won their group games. They beat PAS Tehran 1-0 and Wohaib FC 10–1. The 10–1 win was the biggest in Asian Championship history at the time.
In the semi-final, Al Wasl lost on penalties to Al Shabab Riyadh. Al Wasl finished third in the championship. They beat Yomiuri FC 4–3. This made them the first Emirati team to finish on the podium in an Asian competition. This achievement helped Al Wasl win the "Emirati Club of the Century" award in 2000.
The next two seasons were tough for Al Wasl. They didn't win any trophies. In 1994–1995, they played in the Asian Club Championship again. They lost in the Quarterfinals. In 1995–96, Al Wasl finished second in the league.
In the 1996–1997 season, Al Wasl won the league for the sixth time. They had a special celebration. They brought a small model train onto the field. This was called the "Al Wasl train." It became a famous celebration for the club.
Al Wasl earned the nickname "The Sun of the League." This is because even after a long time without winning, they always return to win again. Just like the sun always rises.
In 1998, Al Wasl played in the Arab Club Cup. They reached the semi-final. They won their group games. In the semi-final, they lost to WA Tlemcen.
Between 1999 and 2000, Al Wasl was named the UAE's Club of the Century. This was because they had won the most UAE League titles (six). They also performed best in international competitions.
The 2000s: New Triumphs
In the 2000s, Al Wasl won three championships. They had good performances, even if they didn't challenge for many titles at first.
In 2000, Al Wasl lost the President's Cup final. They finished 7th in the league. In 2002, the famous player Zuhair Bakhit retired. He had played his whole career for Al Wasl.
From the early to mid-2000s, other teams like Al Ain and Al Wehda won the league. Al Wasl finished second in their group in the 2003–04 season. The next two seasons were not as good. Some important players during this time were Rachid Daoudi and Farhad Majidi.
In 2006–2007, Al Wasl had an amazing season. Coach Zé Mário led the team to win the league title easily. They lost only one game all season. They also won the President's Cup. They beat Al Ain 4–1 in the final. This meant they won both the league and the cup in the same season, which is called "the double."
In the 2007–2008 season, Al Wasl played in the AFC Champions League for the first time. They were eliminated in the group stage. In the league, they finished 7th.
In 2008–2009, Al Wasl finished seventh but qualified for the GCC Club Cup. In the 2009–2010 season, they played in the GCC Club Cup. They won their group. In the semi-final, they faced Al-Nassr. Al Wasl won the second leg at home and won on penalties. In the final, Al Wasl played against Qater SC. The first game was a 2–2 draw. Al Wasl won the title in the second game. They won because of the "away goals rule." They became champions of the Arabian Gulf.
Later that season, Al Wasl signed Spanish player Francisco Yeste. He scored a famous goal from the halfway line. It was called "the fastest equalizer in football history."
The 2010s: Challenges and Famous Coaches
The 2010s were a difficult time for Al Wasl. They did not win any trophies during this period. The team often finished in the middle or lower part of the league table.
In 2010, a fan group called Ultras Junoon was started. It was the first Ultras group in the Gulf region.
In the 2010–11 season, Al Wasl reached the semi-finals of two cups. They finished sixth in the league. Fran Yeste was their top scorer.
In May 2011, the famous 1986 World Cup winner Diego Maradona became the club's new coach. This news surprised the world. Everyone had high hopes for the club. Maradona's time at Al Wasl was challenging. They finished eighth in the league. They were eliminated from cup competitions. They did well in the 2012 GCC Champions League. They won the first game of the final. But they lost the second game on penalties.
Diego Maradona was very popular with the fans. He built strong relationships with his players. Al Wasl shirt sales increased around the world. Maradona left the club after the season. But he remained a club legend.
The 2012–13 season was even tougher. The team finished ninth in the league. They had three different managers that season. One coach, Bruno Metsu, resigned due to illness.
In the 2013–14 season, Adidas became Al Wasl's new kit sponsor. In the 2014–2015 season, Al Wasl signed two new Brazilian players. They were Caio Canedo and Fábio Lima. They became important players for the club. The team finished 6th.
In 2015–16, Al Wasl finished 6th again. They qualified for the GCC Champions League. But the tournament was canceled.
In the 2016–17 season, Al Wasl played very well. New coach Rodolfo Arruabarrena led the team. Caio and Lima had great performances. Al Wasl finished second in the league. This qualified them for the AFC Champions League. They had an amazing comeback in one game, winning 4–3 after being down 3–0. They also won a game 8–0, which was their highest score.
Al Wasl finished third the next season. They qualified for the AFC Champions League again. They reached the final of the UAE Presidents Cup but lost. They also lost the League Cup final.
In the 2018–19 season, Al Wasl finished 9th in the league. They had a good run in the Arab Champions League. They beat Egyptian team Al Ahly. But they were eliminated in the quarter-final.
The 2019–2020 season was canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The 2020s: Return to Glory
In the 2020–21 season, Al Wasl finished 9th.
In the 2021–22 season, there were changes in the club's management. This happened after fans asked for improvements. The new management, led by Mr. Ahmad Bin Shafar, brought new energy. The team's spirit and performance improved. Fan attendance also increased. They finished 6th, which was better than the previous season.
In the 2022–23 season, Al Wasl fans showed great support. The team reached the semi-final of the Presidents Cup. They finished 4th in the league. The 2023–24 season was very successful. Al Wasl lost only one game in the league. They stayed in first place from the start. They beat rivals Shabab Al Ahli three times in one month. Al Wasl won the Presidents Cup on May 17, 2024. They beat Al Nasr 4–0 in front of a sold-out stadium. Al Wasl then won their 8th UAE Pro League title. They secured the win with a 3–0 victory over Shabab Al Ahli.
The 2024–25 season is a big one for Al Wasl. They are defending their league title. They are also competing in five other competitions. Al Wasl started the season with a draw. They won their next game. They also won their first AFC Champions League Elite game. They then beat rivals Al Nasr 3–1. However, their performance dropped after that. They lost to Al Ain and Khor Fakkan. But the team started to improve again. They beat Al Wahda in the Presidents Cup. Al Wasl signed Nigerian player Isaac Success. He scored a goal in the 93rd minute in an Asian game.
Team Rivalries
Al Wasl has two main rivals. They compete with Al Nasr in the "Bur Dubai Derby." They also challenge Al Ain in the "UAE Classico."
Current Squad
As of 16 July 2025
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Out on loan
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Club Achievements and Honours
Domestic Competitions
- UAE Pro League: 8 times
- Winner: 1981–82, 1982–83, 1984–85, 1987–88, 1991–92, 1996–97, 2006–07, 2023–24
- UAE President's Cup: 3 times
- Winner: 1986–87, 2006–07, 2023–24
- UAE Federation Cup: 1 time
- Winner: 1992–93
- The IFFHS named Al Wasl as the UAE's Club of the 20th Century.
Regional Competitions
- Gulf Club Champions Cup
- Winner (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 appearances
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- 2008: Group stage
- 2018: Group stage
- 2019: Group stage
- Asian Club Championship: 4 appearances
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- 1986: Qualifying Stage
- 1989–90: Qualifying Stage
- 1992–93: Third Place
- 1994–95: Quarter finals
Coaching Staff
| Position | Staff |
|---|---|
| Head coach |  Miloš Milojević |
| Assistant coach | Nenad Đorđević |
 Imad Khalili |
|
 Yaqoob Iman Yameen |
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| Saeed Anwar |
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| Alaa Tareeq |
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| Goalkeeper coach |  Romulo Nunes |
| Fitness coach |  Nikolaos Giagou |
| Chief analyst |  Paul Mitchell |
Managerial History
* Served as caretaker coach.
| Name | Nat. | From | To | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bakhit Salem |  |
1960 | 1970 | |
| Ismail Al-Jarman | |
1971 | 1971 | |
| Zaki Osman |  |
1972 | 1973 | |
| Valinhos |  |
1980 | 1981 | |
| Joel Santana | |
1981 | 1986 | |
| Hassan Shehata | |
1986 | 1988 | |
| Antônio Lopes | |
1988 | 1989 | |
| Gílson Nunes | |
1989 | 1990 | |
| Dimitri Davidović |  |
1991 | 1992 | |
| Arthur Bernardes | |
1996 | 1998 | |
| Alain Laurier |  |
1998 | December 1998 | |
| Paulo Campos | |
January 1999 | May 1999 | |
| Henryk Kasperczak |  |
September 1999 | February 2000 | |
| Alain Laurier* | |
March 2000 | May 2000 | |
| Josef Hickersberger |  |
June 2000 | June 2001 | |
| Johan Boskamp |  |
July 2001 | 2002 | |
| Martín Lasarte |  |
2002 | 2002 | |
| Khalifa Al Shamsi* | |
2002 | March 2003 | |
| Arthur Bernardes | |
March 2003 | May 2004 | |
| Vinko Begović |  |
2004 | 2005 | |
| Zé Mário | |
2006 | 2007 | |
| Miroslav Beránek |  |
2007 | 2008 | |
| Alexandre Guimarães |  |
July 2009 | May 2010 | |
| Khalifa Al Shamsi | |
June 2010 | June 2011 | |
| Sérgio Farias | |
August 2010 | April 2011 | |
| Diego Maradona |  |
May 2011 | July 2012 | |
| Bruno Metsu | |
July 2012 | October 2012 | |
| Guy Lacombe | |
November 2012 | February 2013 | |
| Eid Baroot | |
February 2013 | May 2013 | |
| Laurent Banide | |
June 2013 | October 2013 | |
| Héctor Cúper | |
November 2013 | March 2014 | |
| Jorginho* | |
March 2014 | October 2014 | |
| Gabriel Calderón | |
October 2014 | May 2016 | |
| Rodolfo Arruabarrena | |
July 2016 | June 2018 | |
| Gustavo Quinteros |  |
July 2018 | October 2018 | |
| Hassan Al Abdouli* | |
October 2018 | December 2018 | |
| Laurențiu Reghecampf |  |
December 2018 | October 2020 | |
| Salem Rabie* | |
October 2020 | December 2020 | |
| Odair Hellmann | |
December 2020 | June 2022 | |
| Juan Antonio Pizzi |  |
July 2022 | May 2023 | |
| Miloš Milojević | |
June 2023 | present |
Pro-League Record
| Season | Lvl. | Tms. | Pos. | President's Cup | League Cup |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008–09 | 1 | 12 | 7th | Round of 16 | First Round |
| 2009–10 | 1 | 12 | 5th | Round of 16 | First Round |
| 2010–11 | 1 | 12 | 6th | Semi-Finals | Semi-Finals |
| 2011–12 | 1 | 12 | 8th | Quarter-Finals | Semi-Finals |
| 2012–13 | 1 | 14 | 9th | Round of 16 | First Round |
| 2013–14 | 1 | 14 | 12th | Quarter-Finals | First Round |
| 2014–15 | 1 | 14 | 6th | Round of 16 | First Round |
| 2015–16 | 1 | 14 | 6th | Quarter-Finals | Semi-Finals |
| 2016–17 | 1 | 14 | 2nd | Quarter-Finals | Semi-Finals |
| 2017–18 | 1 | 12 | 3rd | Runner-ups | Runner-ups |
| 2018–19 | 1 | 14 | 9th | Semi-Finals | Quarter-Finals |
| 2019–20 | 1 | 14 | 8th | Quarter-Finals | Quarter-Finals |
| 2020–21 | 1 | 14 | 9th | Quarter-Finals | Semi-Finals |
| 2021–22 | 1 | 14 | 6th | Semi-Finals | Quarter-Finals |
| 2022–23 | 1 | 14 | 4th | Semi-Finals | First Round |
| 2023–24 | 1 | 14 | 1st | Champions | Semi-Finals |
Notes The 2019–20 UAE football season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Arab Emirates.
Key
- Pos. = Position
- Tms. = Number of teams
- Lvl. = League
See also
In Spanish: Al-Wasl Football Club para niños
- List of football clubs in the United Arab Emirates
