Abu Dhabi: Wednesday’s sold-out Fifa Club World Cup semi-final between Al Jazira and Real Madrid will be the biggest match a UAE club has ever featured in.
There have been friendlies between local clubs and big European or South American sides, and competitively a local team has even made it to the final of the Asian Champions League four times, winning once — three times by Al Ain who won in 2003 and once by Al Ahli.
However, no UAE side has ever made it this far in the pinnacle of club football.
On the last two occasions, the UAE hosted the tournament and entered their domestic champion as a host’s representative, Al Ahli were knocked out in the first round in 2009 and Al Wahda reached the quarters in 2010.
As wildcards, UAE clubs have always been regarded as the underdogs in this competition and haven’t been expected to progress in the tournament, which is a play-off between the host club and the champions of six continents.
But now Al Jazira have already seen off the champions of Oceania and Asia, Auckland City and Urawa Red Diamonds, with identical 1-0 scorelines to find themselves up against the might of Real Madrid in the ultimate of glamour ties.
It’s a massive moment for Al Jazira’s players and fans who could previously have only dreamt of such an occurrence.
If Al Jazira win, it would go down as one of the biggest shocks in football history.
But no-one is expecting any miracles against the back-to-back European champions whose squad comes laden with star players including Cristiano Ronaldo, who was crowned the world’s best player for a record equalling fifth time just last Thursday.
Instead Al Jazira fans and supporters of other UAE clubs who have lent their support in this moment of national pride, will simply want their side to give a good account of themselves and defend the honour of UAE football.
Given that the UAE national team have only made the World Cup once in 1990 and the Olympics once in 2012, this is a rare chance to showcase local football on the world stage.
And in terms of eyes and the attention of the world set on one particular match, nothing would have compared to this for any UAE side, not even the final of the Asian Cup, which the UAE national team reached and played in at this same stadium back in 1996, losing 4-2 on penalties to Saudi Arabia.
