Cairo, Egypt – Omar Abdulrahman “Amouri”, the star of Emirati football, has officially announced his retirement. This brings to a close a chapter full of achievements with clubs and national teams.
Omar Abdulrahman, one of the most prominent stars of Emirati football, revealed his retirement decision in a farewell message via his Instagram account.
Amouri wrote: “Today, with all love and gratitude, I announce my retirement from football, after a beautiful journey that lasted for years, full of challenges and achievements. It was a career I built with hard work and the support of loyal fans.”
Amouri added: “I extend my sincere thanks and gratitude to Sheikh Hazza bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of Al Ain Club, for his trust and great support throughout my career. I also thank Mohammed bin Thaloub Al Derei, Nasser bin Thaloub Al Derei, and Mohammed Khalfan Al Rumaithi for their continuous support and encouragement.”
He added: “I would like to thank Al Ain Club and the loyal Al Ain nation for their support throughout the years I spent in this great institution. It was full of championships and achievements. It was the reason for Omar’s emergence in the sports arena.”
He continued: “I also thank Al-Hilal Saudi Club and its fans for the short period I spent here. I had hoped to leave a great mark on this club, but God’s will be done, and praise be to God in all circumstances.”
He added: “I cherish every moment I spent with the clubs I represented, Al Jazira, Shabab Al Ahli, and Al Wasl. Each club has a special place in my heart and a mark on my career. Thank you, and a heartfelt thank you to the loyal fans who were always my greatest support and motivation. Your love and encouragement were the secret to my continuity and giving.”
“Today I close this beautiful chapter of my life, and I begin a new journey. Thank you to everyone who was a part of this journey,” said Amouri (34 years old).
Amouri’s legendary career is full of achievements
Omar Abdulrahman is considered one of the best Asian and Emirati football players. He started his football career at the age of nine with a trial with the Saudi club Al-Hilal in 2000. Later, he joined the Emirati club Al-Ain in 2006 at the age of 15.
In the 2008–09 season, he was promoted to the first team, making his official debut in 2009 against Shabab Al Ahli in the Etisalat Cup. He won his first three titles: the Etisalat Cup, the President’s Cup, and the Super Cup.
Omar Abdulrahman continued his golden journey with Al Ain FC until 2018. During this time, he won several local titles. These included the Arabian Gulf League four times, the Arabian Gulf Cup once, the UAE President’s Cup three times, and the UAE Super Cup three times as well.
On an individual level, Omar Abdulrahman won the Best Player in Asia award in 2016.
On August 6th, Omar Abdulrahman was close to joining Manchester City. He had a two-week trial with them, but the deal fell through due to the national team’s ranking and Al Ain’s refusal to loan him to Manchester City.
In August 2018, Omar Abdulrahman “Amouri” joined Saudi Arabia’s Al-Hilal on loan from the UAE’s Al-Ain. However, a cruciate ligament injury cut his time with “Al-Za’eem” short, leading to his departure to the UAE’s Al-Jazira.
After a short stint in Saudi Arabia, Omar Abdulrahman returned to his homeland. He joined Al Jazira on a three-season deal, before moving to Shabab Al Ahli Dubai in 2021. Later, he moved to Al Wasl in 2022 in his final chapters on the pitch.
Omar Abdulrahman’s journey with the UAE national team
Omar Abdulrahman played 74 international matches with the UAE national team, and managed to reach the Asian Cup final twice.
He began his career with the UAE national teams by being called up to the youth national team camp on September 19, 2008. This was in preparation for participating in the AFC Youth Championship finals, but he was injured and excluded.
In 2009, he was called up again to the youth national team to participate in the FIFA U-20 World Cup. However, he was injured in a friendly match against Lausanne on July 26 of the same year.
“Amouri” participated with the UAE Olympic team for the first time in the 2010 Gulf Cup for Olympic Teams. He played in all the matches and it was his first title. He was then called up to the youth team and participated with them in the 2010 AFC Youth Championship. This was his first participation in a continental championship.
“Amouri” then joined the Olympic team, and won the silver medal with them in the 2010 Asian Games. He played his first international match with the first team on January 3, 2011, in a friendly match against Syria at the age of 19. He played as a starter and was substituted at the beginning of the second half.
His first official participation with the UAE national team was in the 2011 Asian Cup. He won the Gulf Cup with the UAE national team in 2013.
