DUBAI // Rashed Hammadi and Nawwaf Hussain are among 32 young, talented footballers from the Emirates jetting to Spain this weekend to play before La Liga scouts.
The only two Emiratis among the group, the boys made it through the du UAE Schools Cup and UAE Streets Cup, which began in October and saw more than 7,000 players, girls and boys, compete for the chance to perform in front of some of the world’s top scouts.
The boys, both 16, come from very different backgrounds but will both be on the same under 16s team, which will over the next two weeks undergo intensive football academy-style training. They will also play matches against four youth teams, including Sevilla and Malaga, where the scouts will be on the lookout for players who can stand the pressure of competitive games.
Rashed, a self-taught player who is passionate about football, made it through the streets league. He said he will “play with his heart". Nawwaf, on the other hand, has been playing for UAE clubs since the age of six, and is now with the Al Wahda Academy in Abu Dhabi.
Rashed, a defender, is from Sharjah. The shy teen’s eyes light up when it comes to talking about his sport, which he has played for 10 years.
He represents the raw talent that scouts were hoping to find through the UAE Streets Cup. Even though he has only travelled once without his parents - for a school trip six years ago - he said: “I’m not nervous about going. I will play from my heart. My head is in the game."
Despite being the far more experienced player at a competitive level, Nawwaf said he was still keen to learn more. “For me, I’ve only been exposed to UAE football players, so this will be a new experience," he said.
Rashed added that the Spanish style is “unique" and he hopes to follow in the footsteps of his idol, Barcelona playmaker Lionel Messi.
For Nawwaf, who at 182cm is already well above average height for his age, the stakes are higher. His “dream" since he was a child was to become a professional player, having played with Al Ahli and Sharjah FC before joining Al Wahda three years ago.
“My training background and being used to playing competitive games will at least help me get over the nerves and pressure," he said. The final 32 have spent four weeks preparing with coaches from La Liga before the trip to training camp.
Modest and still shocked to be picked, Rashed, who has only played the beautiful game on the streets or wherever he could find the space around his home, said: “I wasn’t expecting that intensity in the training, so it’s better prepared me for the trip."
Nawwaf said the La Liga coaching was very different from the UAE coaching he is used to. “There’s a different style among the coaches from La Liga and I’m looking forward to getting all the experience I can. Here, it’s not the same as being on a youth academy in Europe, where you get more exposure, so this is my chance to shine," he said.
Nawwaf’s mother, Maazza Al Magthob, has supported her son’s dream over the years on the condition that he stay committed to his studies. “He always knew what his dream was and he’s worked really hard for that," she said. “When he was as young as six, we had a conversation that he mustn’t let football take away from his education. He gave me his promise and he’s kept that until now. His grades are amazing, so I’m really very proud of him."
The best players will be invited to the La Liga Academy, which will open later this year in Dubai.
