Every morning, Abdullah Al Ali laces up his boots and heads to the training ground, where he now dedicates his time to coaching young footballers. Nearly two decades after retiring from professional football, his daily routine remains centred around the game that shaped his life. For years, the former Baniyas player has worked with young athletes ranging from the age of six to adulthood, helping them develop their skills and encouraging them to stay committed to their dreams and ambitions.
Although he no longer competes on the pitch, Al Ali’s dedication and discipline to football have never changed. Coaching allowed him to continue the journey that began during his childhood on the sandy grounds of Sharjah.
Born and raised in Al Sharq, Sharjah, Al Ali said football had been part of his life for as long as he could remember.
He spent most of his childhood playing football in his backyard and around his neighbourhood with his friends, cousins, and neighbours. The street and open areas were covered in sand, but that never stopped them from forming teams and playing for hours.
Football equipment was not widely available in the UAE at that time. Balls were usually imported, and only a few people in the neighbourhood owned one. Whenever someone managed to bring a ball, everyone would quickly gather to play a match together.
Al Ali and his friends eventually created their own neighbourhood team. They played barefoot on the sand, using whatever space was free and developing their skills without proper pitches, boots, or training facilities.
“I have played football for as long as I can remember,” Al Ali said.
One ordinary neighbourhood match would later lead to his first opportunity at a football club. While Al Ali and his friends were playing football, Sheikh Faisel Al Qassimi noticed them and was really impressed by their skills. He invited Al Ali and five of his friends to visit Al Shaab Club in Sharjah the following day. They were told that a car would collect and take them to the club to play a friendly match.
When Al Ali arrived, he was handed a pair of football boots for the very first time. Having spent his childhood playing barefoot on the sand, he found the experience quite difficult. “I did not know how to play in football boots because I had always played barefoot,” he stated.
Despite the difficulty, he tried to adapt and make the most of the opportunity. After his successful experience at Al Shaab Club, he returned to playing football in his neighbourhood, but his ambitions to pursue the sport continued to grow.
At home, however, his father was initially hesitant about his passion for football. He encouraged Al Ali to focus on his education and believed that continuing his studies would offer him a more secure future. Meanwhile, Al Ali saw football as an opportunity to pursue the dream he had always had since childhood. His circumstances changed as his father became seriously ill.
As the eldest son, Al Ali felt responsible for helping his brothers and sisters. Although he was still attending school, he eventually stopped studying so that he could search for work and help support his family. During the early 1980s, Al Ali travelled to Abu Dhabi with several of his friends to complete his military service.
Even while serving in the military, he never gave up football. Whenever he had free time, he and his friends would gather and play football in their free time.
One evening after dinner, their military captain noticed them playing and called Al Ali over. “He asked us who we were, what our names were, and where we had come from,” Al Ali said. “We told him we were from Sharjah.”
The captain then told them about a football club in Abu Dhabi that was preparing to become official and was scouting for players. That club was called Baniyas.
Al Ali and his friends were interested, but they were unsure how they would manage to go to the club while completing their military service.
“We had only just started our service,” Al Ali Said. “We were travelling together in one car, and we did not have the means to go to the club.” The captain reassured them that the necessary arrangements would be made for their benefit. “He told us that everything would be taken care of, including transportation and housing,” Al Ali said.
Al Ali agreed. The following day, a driver arrived to collect him and his friends to take them to Baniyas.
The opportunity soon developed into something much bigger. Al Ali was still completing his military training when the club told the players about an upcoming game in Bulgaria. The chance to travel and represent the new team convinced him to leave his military duties and commit fully to football.
The trip came out successful, with Baniyas finishing among the leading teams in the tournament. Back in Sharjah, Al Ali’s family waited to hear about his performances. With no television broadcasts available to them at the time, they followed his journey by listening to commentary on the radio.
His success gradually changed his father’s opinion of his football dreams. The man who had once encouraged him to focus on his studies and education became proud of his son’s achievements. His family began supporting his journey and closely following his progress. Al Ali became part of the first Baniyas team formed when the club was established. He began his career as a striker and quickly made an impact.
In his first official match for Baniyas, against Al Nassr, he scored two goals, leading his team to secure a victory. At the time, football in the UAE was very different from the professional game seen today. Players were driven by the love of the sport, and football was treated more as a passion than a full-time career. However, for Al Ali, the lack of modern facilities and professional conditions did not reduce his commitment to becoming a footballer.
He continued training, travelling, and competing, understanding how valuable this opportunity was after years of playing barefoot on the sand.
His career later faced a serious setback when he suffered a major leg injury during a match against Bahrain.
The injury required surgery, but Al Ali was determined to continue playing. He returned to the pitch and continued playing for another two to three years.
However, the same leg repeatedly caused him problems, eventually forcing him to undergo another operation.
Rather than walking away from football, Al Ali adapted.
He moved from his original position as a striker to a defender, allowing him to continue his career despite the effect of his injury.
From 1981 until his retirement in 2004, Al Ali dedicated more than two decades of his life to Baniyas. After spending so many years playing the sport, retirement was never going to separate him from football completely.
Around two years after ending his playing career, Al Ali returned to Baniyas as a coach.
Since then, he has worked with children, teenagers, and adults, helping players develop their abilities and encouraging them to pursue their football ambitions.
His own experiences have shaped the way he approaches coaching. Al Ali understands that young players may face challenges beyond the pitch. His own journey involved family responsibilities, financial limitations, military service, injuries, and uncertainty.
He also understands that talent must be supported by discipline, patience, and continuous effort. Today, when he wakes up early and prepares another training session, Al Ali does more than teach young players how to pass, defend, or score. He is sharing the lessons that shaped his own life and helping another generation believe that their dreams are possible. His journey from playing barefoot in the sandy neighbourhoods of Sharjah to becoming one of the first players to represent Baniyas stands as proof of what determination can achieve. “My advice to every young footballer is to always follow their dreams, even if it does not seem achievable,” Al Ali said. “All dreams can come true with practice and dedication.”
