6 days ago
Jordanian teenager hopes US scholarship can lead to professional football contract
Cherry-picked from a countrywide talent showcase event in Abu Dhabi, Omar Suleiman is about to embark on a potentially life-changing journey.
The Jordanian teenager is one of three players selected from a pool of 40, scouted by SUNY Adirondack university in New York, on a two-year football scholarship.
Suleiman will feature in the Collegiate and United Premier Soccer League in the Adirondack and Mount Valley regions from September to April. He will depart for New York on August 10 to join the pre-season training camp starting five days later.
'I've always been excited, even on the small things like joining different clubs or playing in a different city. So to receive a scholarship to play in the US is like something out of the world for me, and perhaps a life-changing opportunity,' Suleiman told The National.
'I never ever dreamed that a door like this would open for me. I'm so thrilled and feel that I'm in a different planet to play in a semi-professional league in the US.
'This may be the first step of my main goal of becoming a professional footballer and even go beyond that in becoming a global star. That's how I feel right now.'
Suleiman, 17, is the second of his Jordanian parents' three sons, all of whom were born and raised in Abu Dhabi.
His older brother Osama, 21, completing his final year of an engineering degree at the University of Birmingham, was selected on a similar scholarship and has since gone on to play for the Under-21s of Premier League side Bournemouth.
Suleiman's dream is to one day follow in his brother's footsteps.
'Football runs in the family with my older brother and uncles playing at various levels,' Suleiman, a winger, said of his football journey.
'Like most kids, I started playing at parks and school, and when I was around 11, I thought I had the potential to get into the next level.
'At the same time, my father identified my abilities, and he enrolled me at the Manchester City School. And there, with the help of coaches and my own efforts, I reached a level where everyone spotted me as a player with decent talent and skills.'
A student at Repton School in Abu Dhabi, Suleiman represented Al Ain at various age groups for two years from 2022 and also spent short periods at Al Jazira and Al Wahda youth teams. He moved then moved to FC Ole, his current team, to play in the UAE amateur league.
Before being offered a scholarship at SUNY, Suleiman said his ambitions were to earn a contract with a professional UAE club.
'Initially I thought the maximum I could reach was to play for a professional club in the UAE which also could have been an achievement. Now I find myself with the opportunity for a bigger opportunity,' he added.
Along with his football development, Suleiman will pursue a degree in International Business. He hopes that his performances will attract the attention of clubs in the US or Europe, ultimately leading to an offer of a professional contract. He said is prepared to put in the hard work to make that dream come true.
'It's the hard yards that have taken me to where I am right now. The way I developed my football skills was actually more of me and myself training, which I have to do if I want to achieve my goals," he said.
'In the first two years with my team, I want to make sure that I'm scoring goals, getting good assists and making sure I can get through my studies at college.
'Thereafter, I want to make sure that I can get into a team to play as a full professional. Not just to be a professional player but to be one of the best in the sport. That's my main target, God willing.'
