Al Jazira goalkeeper Abdulrahman Al Ameri has signed a new deal with the club, keeping him at the Pride of Abu Dhabi until at least 2025.

Starting at the age of 6 at Al Jazira’s school affiliated programmes, the talented shot stopper has been part of the club’s academy since the age of 10, representing the side throughout each age bracket and becoming one of the club’s most promising talents.

The 22-year old made his first team appearance when he was just 20 years old, playing in the Arabian Gulf League against Emirates Club and has since represented the UAE national team at Under-23 level.

Part of a generation of players currently starring in the first team this season such as Khalifa Al Hammadi and Abdullah Ramadan, Ameri was part of the Al Jazira youth teams which were consistently crowned champions of the UAE FA leagues at the U-10, 11 and 12 age groups. He also captained the U-17 Al Jazira side in their Hazaa Bin Zayed tournament win back in 2015, while also bagging the best goalkeeper of the tournament award.

Speaking on his new deal, Group CEO Ali Youssef Al Hammadi stated: “Abdulrahman is one of the club’s most exciting young prospects and it is always a special moment when our youth players progress to the first team. He has been with us from a young age and through our academy pathway he has developed into a fine player and young man and we are very proud of him.”

Chairperson and board member of Al Jazira’s sporting committee Mohammed Saif Al Suwaidi said: “At Al Jazira, we place great faith and trust in our academy players. We continue to invest in our young players, and Abdulrahman is part of a special generation of players who are key members of our squad this season. We are all very happy to secure Abdulrahman’s future with us and all look forward to what he will continue to achieve in his great and promising career so far.”

Sporting Director Mads Davidsen added: “Abdulrahman has a promising future ahead of him and we are happy that he will be here with us at Al Jazira.

“He is still a young goalkeeper under development coming from our academy and is working every day with our goalkeeping coach Manuel Almunia, who is doing a great job with all our keepers. With this contract he can focus on improving and taking the next steps.”

Ameri said: “I have spent most of my life at Al Jazira so to be able to extend my contract is very exciting for me. I have grown up at the football club which I love, and I am very thankful for the opportunity to stay longer and achieve more with Al Jazira.”

With 33 points, Al Jazira are on second place, three points below leaders Sharjah in Arabian Gulf League.

They drubbed Al Dhafra 5-1 win at Hamdan Bin Zayed Stadium in matchweek 15 of the league took place last week.

Al Jazira club was founded in 1974 following a merger between Al Khalidiyah Club and Al Bateen Club. Referred to as ‘The Pride of Abu Dhabi’, the club is widely known for its professional football team that plays at the 42,000-seater Mohammed Bin Zayed Stadium and competes in the top tier of the domestic game, the Arabian Gulf League.

Yet the Club boasts no fewer than seven other professional sports teams, all training and competing in the heart of Abu Dhabi.

Al Jazira FC are renowned for supporting home-grown talent development and the club operates one of the finest youth football academes in the region. Ali Mabkhout, the club’s striker and all-time record goal scorer for the UAE National side, is a graduate of the club’s academy system whilst George Weah, 1995 FIFA World Player of the year, is one of numerous high-profile international stars to have represented the Club.

Al Jazira FC have a rich and successful history, winning the Federation Cup in 2006, The Gulf Clubs Championship in 2007, and the Etisalat Cup in 2009-2010.  Al Jazira also clinched the Arabian Gulf League in 2011 and repeated the feat in 2017. Their three President’s Cup successes were achieved in 2011, 2012 and 2016, while they also finished fourth in the 2017 FIFA Club World Cup.