Al Ain FC facts for kids
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| Full name | Al Ain Football Club | ||
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| Nickname(s) | Al Zaeem (The Boss) | ||
| Short name | AIN | ||
| Founded | August 1, 1968, as Al Ain Sports Club | ||
| Ground | Hazza bin Zayed Stadium | ||
| Capacity | 25,053 | ||
| President | Mohamed Bin Zayed | ||
| Chairman | Hazza bin Zayed | ||
| Manager | Hernán Crespo | ||
| League | UAE Pro League | ||
| 2022–23 | UAE Pro League, 2nd | ||
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Al Ain Football Club, often just called Al Ain, is a professional football team from Al Ain city in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. It's a big part of the Al Ain Sports and Cultural Club.
This club started in 1968. It was founded by local players, Bahraini students, and Sudanese workers. Al Ain quickly became very popular. It is known for winning the most trophies in the UAE, with 38 titles in total!
Al Ain is the most successful football club in the UAE. They have won the UAE Pro League a record 14 times. They also have 7 President's Cups, 5 Super Cups, and 2 AFC Champions League titles. Al Ain is the first and only team from the UAE to win the AFC Champions League.
Contents
- Club History: How Al Ain Started and Grew
- Club Rivalries: Big Matches
- Crest and Colours: What They Mean
- Home Grounds: Where Al Ain Plays
- Club Honours: Al Ain's Trophies
- Team Players: Meet the Squad
- Club Personnel: Who Runs the Team?
- Club Management: The Leaders
- Top Goalscorers: Who Scored the Most?
- Asian Competitions: Al Ain's Journey
- See Also
Club History: How Al Ain Started and Grew
The Early Days: Learning and Growing (1960s-1970s)
| Squad of season 1975–76 |
|---|
| Jasim Al Dhaheri |
| Subait Anbar |
| Saeed Mubarak |
| Ahmed Hajeer |
| Abdullah Matar |
| Fayez Subait |
| Juma Khalaf |
| Abdelhafez Arab |
| Ahmed Al Qatari |
| Shaya Masoud |
| Ali Saeed |
| Awad Saeed |
In the early 1960s, some young men in Al Ain learned football by watching British soldiers play. They decided to form their own team. Their first football field was a simple, sandy area near the Clock Roundabout in Al Ain.
In August 1968, the club officially began. It was named after the city, Al Ain. The founders wanted a permanent place for the club. They rented a house for meetings and even cleaned the club's headquarters and washed the team kits themselves! Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan helped the club get a permanent home in Al Jahili and a car for the team.
Al Ain played its first match against British soldiers and won! They then played friendly games against other clubs in Abu Dhabi. In 1971, they played their first international friendly match against the Egyptian club Ismaily.
In 1971, some club members left to start a new club called Al Tadhamun. Later that year, Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan gave Al Ain a new, modern stadium. It was called the Khalifa Stadium. On November 10, 1974, Al Ain and Al Tadhamun joined together to form the Al Ain Sports Club.
Winning First Titles and Joining the League (1974–1997)
On February 2, 1974, Al Ain won its first trophy, the Abu Dhabi League. Sheikh Khalifa was made the club's honorary president in November 1974. This was to thank him for his support. In 1975, Al Ain won the Abu Dhabi League again.
In the 1975–76 season, Al Ain joined the UAE Football League for the first time. They finished second that season. Al Ain won its first League title in the 1976–77 season. They tied 1-1 with Al Sharjah in their final match to secure the win.
Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan became the president of Al Ain in 1979. Al Ain won the League again in the 1980–81 season. They also won the Joint League Cup in 1983–84, and their third League title that same season. This made them one of the top teams.
After 1984, Al Ain didn't win any major trophies until 1989, when they won the Federation Cup. In the 1992–93 season, Al Ain signed new players and won their fourth League title. They won with three games left to play!
The Golden Age: Big Wins and Asian Glory (1997–2003)
Before the 1997–98 season, a special board was formed to help the club. After this, Al Ain won the league championship. The next season, they won the President Cup.
In 2003, Al Ain competed in the AFC Champions League. This is a huge competition for clubs in Asia. Al Ain won all three of their group matches! They beat teams from Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Iran.
In the semi-final, they played against Dalian Shide from China. Al Ain won the first game at home 4-2. In the second game in China, Al Ain was losing 4-2 with only six minutes left. But then, Farhad Majidi scored a late goal, and Al Ain won 7-6 on total goals!
The final was against BEC Tero Sasana from Thailand. Al Ain won the home game 2-0. Even though they lost the second game 1-0, Al Ain won the final 2-1 on total goals. This made them the first club from the UAE to win the Champions League! It was a truly golden moment for the club.
A New Era: Global Stage and More Wins (2016–Present)
In December 2018, Al Ain took part in the 2018 FIFA Club World Cup. They were there because they had won the UAE Pro-League. Al Ain beat Team Wellington from New Zealand and Espérance de Tunis to reach the semi-final.
On December 18, 2018, Al Ain faced River Plate, the champions from South America. Al Ain won the match on penalties at their home stadium, Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium. This was a huge moment, as they became the first Emirati club to reach the final! In the final on December 22, Al Ain played against Real Madrid, the European champions. Al Ain lost 4-1, with Tsukasa Shiotani scoring their only goal.
In the 2023–24 AFC Champions League season, Al Ain did very well. They won their group with five wins and only one loss. They then beat FC Nasaf from Uzbekistan to reach the quarter-finals. Next, they faced Al Nassr, a Saudi Arabian team with famous players like Cristiano Ronaldo. Al Ain won the first game 1-0. The second game was a thrilling 4-3 loss after extra time, but Al Ain won the penalty shootout 3-1!
This meant Al Ain reached the semi-finals against another Saudi giant, Al Hilal. On April 17, 2024, Al Ain won 4-2 at home, with Soufiane Rahimi scoring three goals! Even though they lost the away game 2-1, Al Ain won 5-4 on total goals. This sent them to the 2023–24 AFC Champions League final against Yokohama F.Marinos from Japan, which they won to become champions again!
Club Rivalries: Big Matches
Al Ain has some exciting rivalries with other football clubs in the UAE. These matches are always thrilling for fans!
- Abu Dhabi Classico: A big rivalry with another team from Abu Dhabi.
- Al Ain–Shabab Al Ahli rivalry: A fierce competition with Shabab Al Ahli.
- Al Ain–Sharjah rivalry: Another important match-up against Sharjah.
Crest and Colours: What They Mean
Club Crest
The Al Jahili Fort is a key symbol for the club. It shows the history of the city and was once the home of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan. It officially became part of the club's crest in 1980. Al Ain also has a single star on its emblem. This star represents their big win in the 2003 AFC Champions League.
Team Kits and Colours
When Al Ain first started in 1968, the team wore green and white. After joining with Al Tadhamon in 1974, their colours changed to red until 1977.
In 1977, during a training trip to Morocco, Al Ain played in a friendly tournament. They saw the purple colours of a Belgian team called Anderlecht and loved them! The idea to change Al Ain's colours to purple was presented to Sheikh Hamdan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, who agreed. So, from the 1977–78 season, Al Ain officially started wearing purple.
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Home Grounds: Where Al Ain Plays
Al Ain's very first playing field was a simple sandy area in the city. In 1971, the club moved to a new stadium in Al Sarouj. On June 18, 1978, this new stadium was named Khalifa Bin Zayed Stadium. It was named after the honorary president.
The Khalifa Bin Zayed Stadium was updated in 2002 to hold 12,000 people. All of Al Ain's matches were played there from 2006–07. It was also upgraded for the 2019 AFC Asian Cup. Since January 14, 2014, the Hazza bin Zayed Stadium has been Al Ain's main home ground.
Club Honours: Al Ain's Trophies
Al Ain Football Club has won 38 official championships! Here are some of their most important wins:
| Type | Competition | Seasons | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Titles | Runners-up | ||||
| Domestic | Pro League | 1976–77, 1980–81, 1983–84, 1992–93, 1997–98, 1999–00, 2001–02, 2002–03, 2003–04, 2011–12, 2012–13, 2014–15, 2017–18, 2021–22 | 14 | 1975–76, 1977–78, 1981–82, 1993–94, 1994–95, 1998–99, 2004–05, 2015–16, 2022–23 | 9 |
| President's Cup | 1998–99, 2000–01, 2004–05, 2005–06, 2008–09, 2013–14, 2017–18 | 7 | 1978–79, 1980–81, 1989–90, 1993–94, 1994–95, 2006–07, 2015–16, 2022–23 | 8S | |
| Super Cup | 1995, 2003, 2009, 2012, 2015 | 5S | 1993, 2002, 2013, 2014, 2018, 2022 | 6 | |
| League Cup | 2008–09, 2021–22 | 2 | 2010–11, 2022–23, 2023–24 | 3S | |
| Regional | GCC Champions League | 2001 | 1 | ||
| Emirati-Moroccan Super Cup | 2015 | 1 | |||
| Continental | AFC Champions League | 2003, 2023-24 | 2 | 2005, 2016 | 2 |
| Worldwide | FIFA Club World Cup | – | – | 2018 | 1 |
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- S shared record
Team Players: Meet the Squad
Current Squad
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Players on Loan
These players are currently playing for other teams for a short time.
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Club Personnel: Who Runs the Team?
Current Coaching Staff
This is the team of coaches and experts who help the players train and get ready for games.
| Position | Name |
|---|---|
| Head coach |  Hernán Crespo |
| Assistant coaches | Juan Branda Nicolás Domínguez Ahmed Abdullah |
| Chief analyst |  Carles Martínez |
| Analyst |  Tiago Freire |
| Goalkeeping coaches | Gustavo Nepote |
| Fitness coach | Federico Martinetti |
| U-21 team head coach | Ismail Ahmed |
| Physiotherapist | Santiago Thompson Felipe Perseu Pianca Abdelnasser Aljohny |
| Club Doctor |  Nikos Tzouroudis |
| Nutritionist | Ricardo Pinto |
| Scout |  Daniele Di Napoli |
| Team manager | Ahmed Al Shamsi |
| Team supervisor | Abdullah Al Shamsi |
Last updated: 14 November 2023
Source: 1
Club Management: The Leaders
Board of Directors
These are the people who lead and manage the Al Ain Sports and Cultural Club.
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| Office | Name |
|---|---|
| President | Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan |
| Vice President Chairman of the Board of Directors of Al Ain SCC |
Hazza bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan |
| Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors of Al Ain SCC Chairman of the Executive Committee Chairman of the Steering Committee |
Sultan bin Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan |
| Members of the Steering Committee | Mohammad Obaid Hammad |
| Members of the Steering Committee | Awad Al Kaabi |
| Members of the Steering Committee | Matar Al Darmaki |
| Members of the Steering Committee | Mohamed Al Mahmood |
Last updated: 7 June 2023
Source: Al Ain Club
Top Goalscorers: Who Scored the Most?
These players have scored the most goals for Al Ain in all competitions.
| Rank | Player | Years | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ahmed Abdullah |
1978–1995 | 185 |
| 2 |  Asamoah Gyan |
2011–2015 | 128 |
| 3 |  Kodjo Fo-Doh Laba |
2019–present | 123 |
| 4 |  Mohieddine Habita |
1976–1983 | 71 |
| 5 | Majid Al Owais |
1992 | 70 |
| 6 | Omar Abdulrahman |
2008–2018 | 62 |
| 7 | Matar Al Sahbani |
1983 | 60 |
| Salem Johar |
1992–2005 | ||
| 9 | Saif Sultan |
1992–2005 | 55 |
| 10 |  Marcus Berg |
2017–2019 | 51 |
Top Scorers in Asian Competitions
These players have scored the most goals for Al Ain in Asian club tournaments like the AFC Champions League.
| R | Player | TOTAL |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Omar Abdulrahman |
18 |
| Asamoah Gyan |
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| 3 |  Soufiane Rahimi |
13 |
| 4 | Marcus Berg |
9 |
| 5 | Kodjo Fo-Doh Laba |
8 |
| 6 |  Boubacar Sanogo |
7 |
| Ibrahim Diaky |
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| 8 |  Nenad Jestrović |
6 |
| Caio Lucas |
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| 10 | Mohamed Abdulrahman |
5 |
| Douglas |
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 Danilo Asprilla |
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| Subait Khater |
Asian Competitions: Al Ain's Journey
Al Ain has played many matches in Asian football competitions. Here's how they've done:
| Competition | Played | Won | Drew | Lost | GF | GA | GD | Win% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Club Championship / Champions League | 144 | 61 | 39 | 44 | 236 | 191 | +45 | 42.36 |
| Cup Winners' Cup | 8 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 7 | 12 | −5 | 37.50 |
| Total | 152 | 64 | 39 | 49 | 243 | 203 | +40 | 42.11 |
- GF = Goals For (goals scored). GA = Goals Against (goals conceded). GD = Goal Difference.
Participations in Asian Tournaments
This table shows Al Ain's results in different Asian competitions over the years.
| Competition | 1995 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2010 | 2011 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2024 |
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| Asian Cup Winners' Cup | 2R | 1R | QF | |||||||||||||||||||
| Club Championship / Champions League | 3rd | 2R | C | QF | R | QF | GS | GS | GS | GS | SF | R16 | R | QF | R16 | GS | GS | QS | C |
- QS : Qualifying Stage, 1R/2R : First/Second round, GS : Group Stage, R16 : Round of 16, QF : Quarterfinals, SF : Semifinal, R : Runner-up, C : Champions
See Also
In Spanish: Al-Ain Football Club para niños
- List of football clubs in the United Arab Emirates
- List of world champion football clubs and vice-world champions in football
