Abu Dhabi: UAE football poster-boy Omar Abdul Rahman’s burgeoning fame will see him go global later this month and rub metaphorical shoulders with Barcelona and Brazil ace Neymar.
The playmaker has been confirmed as the ambassador and front-cover star for the Middle East edition of Pro Evolution Soccer 2016 (PES 2016).
Neymar appears alongside Abdul Rahman in what will be the first time an Arab player has graced the cover of one of the world’s most-renowned video games, the latest edition of which will be released across the GCC region on September 17.
Abdul Rahman said: “I have played Pro Evolution Soccer since I was a child. Growing up, I never imagined that I would be on the cover one day, so I am excited to be featured on it in this year’s edition and I can’t wait to see the game in action this September.”
The 24-year-old Al Ain midfielder’s role is reward for three scintillating years for club and country. A bumper trophy haul in the UAE, including three Arabian Gulf League titles, has been supplemented by some starring shows for the Whites.
He was a prominent performer for the Under-23 team at the London 2012 Olympics, before scoring a superb goal in the UAE’s 2-1 Gulf Cup final win over Iraq the following January.
The frizzy-haired schemer was subsequently named as the player of the tournament and went on to be listed by Fifa.com as one of the most promising future stars in Asia.
In January this year, he was again to the fore as the UAE reached the semi-finals of the Asian Cup, becoming the joint-highest assist-maker with four.
Adam Bhatti, Brand Manager for PES, said: “We couldn’t be happier with the addition of Omar Abdul Rahman facing the front of PES 2016 for the Middle East region. Omar has been a massive success at the Al Ain football club and has a huge fanbase across the region.
“Omar’s amazing skills on the pitch in real life inspire our gameplay design and emulate the PES 2016 experience, and we are confident will help to raise the game’s profile in the Middle East.”
