
Khalid Al Midfa expresses gratitude to UAE wise Leadership
He also congratulated His Highness Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Crown Prince and Deputy Ruler of Sharjah; Her Highness Sheikha Jawaher bint Mohammed Al Qasimi, Wife of the Ruler of Sharjah, and Chairwoman of the Supreme Council for Family Affairs; His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Salem bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Deputy Ruler of Sharjah; and His Highness Sheikh Sultan bin Ahmed bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Deputy Ruler of Sharjah, as well as the people of the UAE, on the occasion of Sharjah FC winning the AFC Champions League title.
Al Midfa emphasised that this achievement is not just for the club but is a national victory dedicated to the wise leadership and the Emirati fans. He noted that the overwhelming joy following the win is priceless, especially with the congratulations received from the Ruler of Sharjah, who expressed great happiness over this accomplishment. Al Midfa called for continued efforts to achieve more sports milestones that elevate the UAE's name on the international stage.
He affirmed that this title is a new addition to the record of achievements in Emirati football and reflects the significant efforts made by the state to support sports and athletes.
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Sharjah 24
a day ago
- Sharjah 24
Dibba Al Hisn Football Club to return to the Professional League
The club emphasised that the grant constitutes a fundamental pillar in the development of sports infrastructure and achieving sustainability in building strong clubs capable of competing in various fields. In a press statement, the club confirmed that the grant reflects His Highness's commitment to supporting the sports sector and upgrading its facilities, which will contribute to strengthening the capabilities of clubs and developing the performance of teams, most notably the first football team. The club noted that the anticipated stadium will bring about a qualitative shift in the sports performance environment and provide an ideal platform for honing the skills of players and meeting the aspirations of fans. Constant source of inspiration His Excellency Mohammed Abdullah Rashid Al Tarban, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Dibba Al Hisn Football Club, praised the unlimited support that sports in the emirate receives from His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah. He noted that His Highness's continuous generosity represents a constant source of inspiration and motivation for athletes and reflects an integrated development vision based on empowering youth and elevating sports institutions to the highest levels. Al Tarban also expressed the club's great appreciation to His Highness Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Crown Prince, Deputy Ruler of Sharjah and Chairman of the Executive Council; His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Salem Al Qasimi, Deputy Ruler of Sharjah and Deputy Chairman of the Executive Council; and His Highness Sheikh Sultan bin Ahmed Al Qasimi, Deputy Ruler of Sharjah. He commended their continued support, which has had the greatest impact in consolidating the institutional structure of the sports sector across the emirate. The Chairman of the Club's Board of Directors indicated that the 2024-2025 sports season marked a historic milestone in the journey of the first team, which competed in the ADNOC Professional League for the first time and succeeded in delivering outstanding performances that earned the respect and appreciation of the sports community, despite the significant challenges it faced throughout the tournament. Valuable lessons Al Tarban emphasised that the team's positive results, the players' heroic performance, and the tactical discipline on the field are all indicators of technical maturity and tangible development in collective performance. He pointed out that the team's failure to continue in the Professional League, despite competing until the final round, was due to circumstances beyond its control in some crucial matches. However, the experience remains a source of pride and valuable lessons upon which the team's future will be built. Al Tarban apologised to the club fans for the past, emphasising that the coming period will be a time of progress, continuity, and perseverance. Time for reorganisation In preparation for the new season, the club announced the implementation of a comprehensive plan to reorganise the team's ranks. This plan began with renewing confidence in Egyptian coach Captain Tarek El Sayed, who had previously successfully led the team in previous stages and demonstrated his technical skills and tactical ability to keep pace with the requirements of the First Division. New players Al Tarban explained that the club succeeded in retaining the most prominent foreign players who had contributed significantly during the previous season such as Medna, Alion, and Vitor, while also seeking to strengthen the team's ranks with new players who would contribute to creating a technical balance and preparing it to achieve its goal of returning to the Premier League. External training camps Al Tarban pointed out that the management is currently studying several options for holding an external training camp during the preparation period. The proposed destinations include Serbia, Turkey, and the Arab Republic of Egypt. The goal is to enhance the team's physical and technical readiness and build harmony among the team members before the start of official competitions. The club also extended its thanks and appreciation to His Excellency Issa Hilal Al Hazami, Chairman of the Sharjah Sports Council (SSC), for its continuous support of the first team and all the club's sports teams. He emphasised that this support has directly contributed to achieving numerous gains and has instilled confidence and motivation among the players and the technical and administrative staff. Back to the Professional League Concluding his statement, the Chairman of the Dibba Al Hisn Club Board of Directors emphasised that the club will continue to work with determination and resolve to return to the Professional League through an integrated administrative and technical system, a strategy based on investing in talent, and long-term planning. He noted that the dream has not stopped, and that the next season will be an opportunity to return to the top ranks, with the support of the fans, the solidarity of the city's residents, and the team's unwavering will to achieve the impossible.

The National
a day ago
- The National
History beckons for UAE as Cosmin Olaroiu arrives with World Cup qualification teasingly close
In a region where football fans are so highly skilled at tifos, the one Sharjah's fans made to see off their coach in his last match was pleasingly rudimentary. Not for them the elaborate choreographies of the giant Saudi Arabian clubs, or even their UAE Pro League counterparts – and visitors on the last day of the season – Al Wasl. Instead, they went for the tried and trusted option of some black emulsion on a big white sheet. It was the thought that counted, though, and the language used. ' Ai parasit echipa, dar alintrat in istorie,' Sharjah's fans had written, using the manager's mother tongue of Romanian. Translated, it means: You left the team but you made history. He certainly did that. Cosmin Olaroiu capped a trophy laden stint at the club by taking them to the AFC Champions League Two title in Singapore in May. That made them just the second club from the UAE – after two-time Champions League winners Al Ain – to lift a major continental title. A little over two weeks later, Olaroiu is on the brink of history again, and he has not even taken charge of his new side yet. Once the powers-that-be had decided to dismiss Paulo Bento as coach of the UAE national team back in March, there only ever felt like one viable option. Bento's side had just kept alive their chances of automatic World Cup qualification at the very last in Riyadh. But Sultan Adil's late, late stoppage time winner over North Korea still failed to save the Portuguese coach's job. The following morning, it was announced he was gone, despite there just being two matches left in this phase of Asian qualifying. The UAE trail second-placed Uzbekistan, who they face at Al Nahyan Stadium in Abu Dhabi on Thursday, by four points, with six still to play for. Win, and they would need to better whatever result the Uzbeks achieve at home to Qatar on Tuesday when they face Kyrgyzstan at the same time to qualify automatically for the 2026 World Cup. Clearly, the odds are against the national team. Given the situation they are in, the next man in after Bento needed to be the ultimate alpha. All of which meant it could only be Olaroiu. The hard-faced, no nonsense, serial winner believes it can be done. Which means everyone else must, too. 'They have to,' Olaroiu said. 'They have to be positive, and they have to believe. If you don't believe, you don't have any chance. 'Now we have this new journey, and when we go there everybody in this team should believe in it. They should believe they can make the dream of this nation come true. 'I think it is one of the countries of the world with one of the biggest improvements and developments in the last [few] years. We should keep pace also in football. This is our mission.' The can-do attitude marks quite the contrast to the final throes of the Bento regime. Back in March, it felt as though the former Portugal manager had been fighting vainly for appreciation, after a downturn in performances. 'We hope to have a different atmosphere in June because I think that is a good way to show the country supports the team with acts and not just words,' Bento said after the win against North Korea, just hours before he was officially axed. Now June has arrived, and the atmosphere is entirely different. The UAE FA have flooded their social media feeds with upbeat slogans. They have hired advertising space on billboards on major roads and in shopping malls. All the domestic clubs have joined the mission with goodwill gestures. And, with it being the Eid holiday weekend, Thursday is likely to be frenzied at the Al Nahyan Stadium. Olaroiu, for his part, has had less than two weeks with his new charges. It means if he is to bring about success immediately, he will have to rely more on the power of personality than granular planning. He may know the six-man cohort of Sharjah players in the squad the best, but his expertise is not limited to them. Olaroiu has brought trophies to three UAE clubs in the past: Al Ain, Shabab Al Ahli and Sharjah. 'It is not about only Sharjah players, it is about all the players,' Olaroiu said. 'They are players who have value and players who have quality. I think they will come with the hope and belief they can do it.' Olaroiu has been recruited on a two-year contract. The national team are guaranteed a place in October's six-team repechage tournament, which for sides who miss out on a top two place in this phase of Asian qualifying. One significant feature of his successes at domestic level was the tight bond he created with his players. A notable example of that came in the aftermath of Sharjah's 2-1 win over Lion City Sailors in the Champions League Two final in Singapore. While his players celebrated, Olaroiu tenderly looked after the two young sons of Caio Lucas, the striker who will likely be his talisman at national team level, too. Whether Olaroiu can strike up such a deep affection with his new players and their families when – because of the nature of the job – he sees them so much less remains to be seen. But Lucas is optimistic it can be done. 'We have to be like a family,' Lucas said. 'It doesn't matter how, but we have to do our best inside the pitch to make our fans happy. 'Whenever we go inside the pitch it is to win, and this will be no different. When we speak about the national team, the coach [has] the best players in the league. 'I think we have a chance to qualify and we are going there to do our best and make our fans happy.'


Dubai Eye
3 days ago
- Dubai Eye
Team Emirates-XRG makes history at Giro d'Italia
Crossing the finish line in Rome amongst the peloton, Isaac del Toro brought the 2025 Giro d'Italia to a historic close for the UAE Team Emirates-XRG - placing second overall on his debut. The Mexican cyclist becomes the second-youngest podium finisher in race history and the first from his country to ever win the young rider's classification. In fact, Del Toro is the first Mexican to ever wear the Maglia Bianca, adding this to a long list of accomplishments he has achieved over the last three weeks. It has been a stellar race for both the 21-year-old and his UAE Team Emirates-XRG teammates, all of whom took to the podium in Rome to celebrate winning the team classification. The Emirati squad end the first Grand Tour of the season with two memorable stage victories, taken by Juan Ayuso and Del Toro. The first, won by Ayuso on stage 7, saw the Spaniard triumph on the race's first summit finish, with his Mexican teammate crossing the line in second. It was a maiden Grand Tour stage victory for Ayuso, with Del Toro following suit in the third week. Through the next 11 days of racing, Del Toro came of age on the grandest stage, riding with a maturity beyond his years to have Mexico dreaming of its first Grand Tour success. In surpassing Fausto Coppi's record from the 1940 Giro d'Italia, Del Toro became the youngest rider in history to wear the Maglia Rosa for 11 consecutive stages. Ending the race with Del Toro on the podium, Brandon McNulty in 9th, victory in the team classification and a credible 7th place for Filippo Baroncini on stage 21, UAE Team Emirates-XRG can be proud of everything it has achieved between the Grande Partenza in Albania and Sunday's final stage in Rome.