Abu Dhabi: If you are a young, up-and-coming midfielder, the chances are one of your idols is the peerless pass-master Xavi Hernandez, the much-feted and decorated former Spain and Barcelona midfielder.
If this is so for Omar Abdul Rahman, the gifted UAE playmaker, then he must feel considerable delight and pride after Xavi’s glowing eulogy to him during the legend’s visit to Dubai on Monday.
Abdul Rahman, who is on the three-man shortlist for the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Player of the Year award along with UAE teammate Ahmad Khalil, has in recent years earned a burgeoning reputation for his impressive displays for club and country.
But after hailing the Al Ain star, Xavi also urged the 24-year-old and other Arab talents to move to Europe to enhance their careers and help their countries be competitive on the international stage.
The 35-year-old, who won 25 trophies during a stellar career at Barcelona between 1998 and 2015 before moving to Qatar’s Al Sadd in the summer, told media at the opening of the new GO Sport store at the Mall of the Emirates: “Have I heard of him? Yes, yes, I know him. He’s a very good player. He’s a very good talent.
“He has a good left foot. It’s possible for him to play his future in Europe. He is of a high level.”
The 2010 World Cup winner added: “It’s important for him [and] for the Arabic players and for the country [if they move to Europe] for it to be a competitive country in the future.
“Yes, it’s good for them [to move].”
Omar has been on the radar of foreign scouts since he impressed for the UAE Olympic team at London 2012.
He subsequently underwent a trial at Abu Dhabi-owned Manchester City and did enough to receive a four-year contract offer from the then English Premier League champions.
The official story is that the move was foiled by work-permit issues, yet City sources claimed that it was the player’s refusal that blocked the deal.
Early in 2013, a year-loan offer from Benfica was turned down.
The links – to Arsenal, Barcelona and plenty more leading European clubs – keep coming but as yet, he stays at Al Ain.
In February, Abdul Rahman made a concrete statement of intent to remain in the UAE when he signed a new four-year contract with the Arabian Gulf League champions thought to be worth Dh14 million a year.
Whether Abdul Rahman moves or not, Xavi believes the future of Arab football is bright, saying of the level he has witnessed: “It’s very good. It’s technically of a high level.
“But the teams in Europe work more on of the tactical [side of things] in training than here.”
Xavi added that he is greatly enjoying his time at Qatar Stars League outfit Al Sadd, for whom he has scored twice in eight games to help the Doha-based club to third place after nine matches. Xavi said: “I am very happy to be here and in Qatar and I have a good project until the World Cup in 2022. I am a player for Al Sadd and am enjoying it a lot as well as my project at Aspire Academy.”
