Al-Wahda FC (Abu Dhabi)

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This article is about the United Arab Emirati football team. For other uses, see Al-Wahda (disambiguation).

Al-Wahda

Full name

Al Wahda Sports Cultural Club

Founded

1974

Ground

Al-Nahyan Stadium
Abu Dhabi
UAE
(Capacity 12,000)

Chairman

Saeed bin Zayed Al Nahyan

Manager

Jo Bonfrere

League

UAE League

06/07

UAE League, 2nd





Home colours





Away colours

Al-Wahda (Arabic: نادي الوحدة الرياضي و الثقافي) is a football club based in Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates. They won the UAE League in 2004-2005.

International footballers who have played or signed for the team include Nigerian Oluwasegun Abiodun, Zambian Kalusha Bwalya (in 1998), as well as Iranian Javad Nekounam and Egyptian Hany Ramzy who signed for them in 2005.

Al Wahda wear the following colors: maroon, grey and white.

1 History
2 Al Wahda Mall
3 Achievements
4 Performance in AFC Competitions
5 Al Nahyan stadium
6 2007/2008 Squad
7 Famous Players
8 Past managers
9 External links

[edit] History

Al Wahda is one of the UAE's famous club, founded when the Emirates Club merged with Abu Dhabi in 1984. Al Wahda remains proud of the history that formed it's roots, the club's chairman was (and still is) Shaikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, with the head of the executive board for the club being led by Shaikh Tahnoon bin Saeed Al Nahyan. After shaky beginnings, the club began to fill its trophy cabinet in the 1990s with Al Wahda winning the Federation Cup winners in 1995, league champions in 1998-1999 and President Cup winners in 2000. The 1999 season rests in the annals: Hussain Ali was voted the league's best goalkeeper, Fahad Massaood was voted player of the year and Al Bouri Lah finished the season as the league's top goalscorer. During the 1990s Al Wahda boasts many internationals in their ranks, Yasir Salim, Abdul Raheem Jumaa and Abdul Salam among them, but also relied on a well-organised scouting system with a tradition of unearthing young talent. Since 1993, it has organised an annual international U-17 tournament for sides from Europe and South America now called the Zayed Cup (formerly called "Al Wahda Cup").

Al Wahda has a large following in the UAE, and are always considered as one of the favourites in major competitions within the UAE. Al Wahda also had stints with regards to major Asian competition, and reached the last 4 of the Asian Champions League, but lost after away and home matches to Sapehan(Iran)(season 2007-2008). Al Wahda also won the League title in 2004/2005 season.

Al Wahda's most famous players are Ismaeel Matar,abdulRahim Juma, Haider Alo Ali And Basheer Saeed. Al Wahda includes some talented young players such as Moh'd al shehi, Eisa Ahmed, yaser Abdulla.Hamdan Al Kamaly and Saeed Al Kithiry.

[edit] Al Wahda Mall

The mall stands in an area of 1,500,000 square feet (139,000 m²), houses 152 brands , a 200,000 square feet (19,000 m²) Lulu Hypermarket ,the biggest in the city and 9 levels of covered parking . It opened to the public on the 31st of May and now has 87 brands open and more to be opening soon.

The major brands who are open include Mamas and Papas, Gap, Banana Republic, Cool Cat, Oil and Vinegar, Springfield, Tommy Hilfiger, Axiom Telecom, Lapin House, La Senza, Mothercare, Starbucks, Dome Café, Café De La Paix, Adidas, The Body Shop, Shellys, & Magrudys to name a few. Another major attraction is the world class cafes and the fabulous food court, providing a wide variety of cuisines.

Eon, ID Design & Better Life, Costa, The Noodle House, Fuddruckers, Rivoli Arcade, Wanasa Land along with the Lulu Hypermarket will open soon, giving the customers a much more from which to choose.

Spacious walk ways, bright and lively interiors and a unique sun roof are making Al Wahda a favourite shopping spot with the public.

[edit] Achievements

UAE League: 3
- Champion : 1999, 2001, 2005

UAE Ruler Cup: 1
- Champion : 2000

UAE Super Cup: 1
- Champion : 2002

Al Etihd "Union" Cup: 3
- Champion : 1985, 1998, 2001

[edit] Performance in AFC Competitions

AFC Champions League: 3 appearances

2004: Quarter-Finals

2006: Group Stage

2007: Semi-Finals

Asian Club Championship: 2 appearances

2000: First Round

2002: Group Stage

Asian Cup Winners Cup: 1 appearance

1998/99: First Round

2000/01: First Round

[edit] Al Nahyan stadium

The Al Nahyan stadium is home to Al Wahda, and although Al-Nahyan Stadium is perhaps less impressive in terms of infrastructure (12,000 seats) it still boasts a fervent atmosphere on match days and has the added advantage of being only three kilometres from the city centre.

[edit] 2007/2008 Squad

No.	Position	Player
1	GK	Shaiban Saleh
2	MF	Tawfeeq Abdul Razzaq
3	DF	Abdulla Salem
4	DF	Ali Jumaa
5	DF	Leonardo Silva
6	MF	Yaser Matar
8	DF	Omar Ali
9	MF	Abdulla Alnobi
10	FW	Ismail Matar
11	FW	Saleh Al Menhali
12	DF	Marwan Mohamed
13	DF	Talal Abdulla
14	FW	Sydney Junior
15	FW	Josiel
16	MF	Mohamed Othman
17	DF	Ricardo Silva

No.	Position	Player
18	MF	Abdulla Al Ameri
19	FW	Saeed Salem
20	FW	Mohamed Al Shehhi
21	DF	Bashir Saeed
22	GK	Abdulbaset Al Hammadi
23	MF	Haidar Alo Ali
24	MF	Abdulraheem Jumaa
25	DF	Yaser Abdulla
26	MF	Mahmoud Khamis
27	FW	Abdulla Ali
28	MF	Eisa Ahmed
29	FW	Abdulrahim Al Hosani
30	DF	Hamdan Ismaeel
--	MF	Ahmad Sharbini