Man City legend Pablo Zabaleta delights fans in UAE visit

Manchester City fans in the UAE were left in awe after meeting club legend Pablo Zabaleta during his recent visit to the country.

Zabaleta, who was part of the squad that won the club’s historic first Premier League title in 2012, met hundreds of fans and football enthusiasts at the official Manchester City stores in Abu Dhabi’s Yas Mall and Dubai Mall, the club’s two retail locations in the country, operated by PUMA.

The former full back also paid a surprise visit to City Football Schools sessions at Masdar City in Abu Dhabi and Nord Anglia School in Dubai. Not only did he join the young players on the pitch and take questions, but he also handed out their Player of the Month Award, sponsored by Etihad Airways.

Fans of all ages had the chance to get autographs and take pictures with the former Argentine international, who helped the club win six trophies — including two Premier League titles during his nine-year spell between 2008 and 2017.

The 40-year-old said:

“It was fantastic to see so many people representing different ages and nationalities during my visit in the UAE for Manchester City. Their excitement and love for the club and for football in general really shone through, and I hope my visit left them with some nice memories. You can see the passion for football the country has, and the talent and enjoyment shown by the young players was fantastic to see — the game is only going to go from strength to strength here.”

Both retail locations in Yas Mall and Dubai Mall offer official licensed Manchester City merchandise and memorabilia. The Yas Mall store also features City Challenge, a unique venue where visitors can test and improve their football skills while immersing themselves in City-themed challenges and connecting with one of the world’s most successful clubs.

During his time in the UAE, Zabaleta also spent some time with Gulf News, where he spoke about several interesting topics — from the growing trend of inverting full backs and City’s ambitions this season to the new signings that have impressed him most. He also shared his thoughts on the best full backs in the modern game, the passionate football fan base in Kerala, his country’s chances of going back-to-back at the upcoming World Cup and many more. All of this will be featured in an upcoming exclusive article.