Gulf United teenager makes UAE First Division history

Dubai: Gulf United have built a reputation for giving young players a pathway into senior football, and now one of their latest prospects has made UAE First Division history.

Saif Assadi became the youngest-ever player to feature in the division at just 15 years, eight months and 17 days old when he was brought on as a substitute in Gulf United's 3-2 defeat to Al Dhaid.

It was also a landmark night for Spanish football icon Andres Iniesta, with Assadi making his senior debut in the first home match of the World Cup winners' tenure in front of a record crowd.

Youth development sits at the heart of Gulf United’s identity, with the club placing a strong emphasis on creating a genuine pathway from academy football into the professional game.

Its Pro Development Programme is designed to give talented footballers from across the globe the opportunity to live, train and play in a professional environment in Dubai, providing a bridge between youth football and the demands of senior football.

That approach has already produced impressive results, last season the club fielded the youngest first-team squad in the league, with eight of the division’s 10 youngest players coming through the club’s pathway.

The focus on giving young players meaningful opportunities at senior level is a key part of Gulf United’s philosophy, rather than simply developing talent without a clear route into professional football.

The club’s track record extends beyond its own first team, too with more than 20 Gulf United academy graduates have gone on to represent or play in the UAE’s top flight.

For a young player like Assadi, the opportunity to develop alongside players who have experienced football at the very highest level is another major advantage of Gulf United’s set-up.

The teenager can learn from the club’s captain Leroy Fer, who brings a wealth of experience from representing the Netherlands at the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil and playing at the highest level of European football.

He is joined in the squad by Benik Afobe, who also brings extensive experience of English football. The former Arsenal academy graduate played in the Premier League with Bournemouth, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Stoke City.

And with Iniesta, one of the most decorated midfielders in football history, now overseeing his development, it will be tough to find anywhere better for a young footballer in the UAE to develop.