Fluent in football and Arabic: Kerala boy hopes to play for UAE

From a very young age, Dubai’s United FC defender Ayaan Shabbir Yusuf realised that playing football is not just about being a part of a team and making a vital clearance at the back before sending a long ball for a teammate to score.

To score as a team man in football, it’s also necessary to embrace your teammates — not quite literally to celebrate a goal — but to embrace them culturally.

Born into an Indian family in Dubai and driven by his late father’s passion for football, Ayaan understood that breaking into the UAE youth football system seamlessly required not just skills, but also the willingness to build a trust factor in a team environment.

For that, Ayaan — whose family hails from Kerala — needed to be as fluent in Arabic as he was in football.

“Arabic is part of daily life here. Growing up in Dubai, many of my friends, coaches, and teammates were Emirati or Arab,” said Ayaan, during an interview with Khaleej Times.

“I made a serious effort to learn and respect the language because when you live in a country, you should embrace its culture. Speaking Arabic helps me connect better with teammates and shows my appreciation for the UAE.”

Elite football

Ayaan’s desire to adapt is one of the biggest reasons why he has become the only Indian to play professional football in the UAE.

The 21-year-old is a promising left-back at United FC, a Dubai-based club which is currently playing in the First Division League, one tier below the UAE Pro League, the highest level of professional football in the country.

If the United FC earn a promotion to the UAE Pro League, Ayaan will get a rare chance to regularly rub shoulders with the best footballers in the UAE, as well as with players from Brazil and Argentina.

Many of the top clubs in the country, including Al Ain, Al Nasr, Shabab Al Ahli, Al Wahda, Sharjah FC and Al Wasl, boast European and South American talent.

Ayaan has already experienced the thrill of taking on the giants of the UAE football when he played a key role in United FC’s stirring run to the semifinals of the President’s Cup — a premier domestic tournament that features clubs from the UAE Pro League and the UAE First Division League.

But his goal now is to help United FC secure promotion to the UAE Pro League and win the coveted trophy.

“My biggest goal is to win the Pro League with my team and contribute in a meaningful way to that success,” said Ayaan, who has already won the Pro League U21 Championship in 2023.

“For me, success is about winning trophies, making my family proud, and proving myself at the highest level.”

A hero and a World Cup legend

Born and raised in Dubai, Ayaan was inspired by his father’s passion for football.

“My parents have been my foundation. My mother (Dilshana Shabbir Ahmed) sacrificed so much to give me this opportunity. My father (late Shabbir Ahmed Yusuf), especially, believed in my dream even before I fully understood it myself,” he said.

“His support and guidance built my character. Everything I have achieved today is because of their belief in me.”

It’s quite natural for young athletes to name big stars when asked about their heroes.

But for Ayaan, it was always just one man — his late father, an amateur footballer in Dubai — who inspired him.

“My biggest hero is my father. He was my first coach, my first supporter, and my biggest inspiration. Everything I am today started with him.”

Ayaan believes it’s his father’s blessings that he now gets to play under one of the greatest midfielders of all time, Andrea Pirlo.

The star of Italy’s 2006 World Cup-winning team, Pirlo is now the head coach of United FC in Dubai.  

“Training under a legend like Pirlo is a privilege,” he said.

“His understanding of the game, especially positional awareness and composure, is world-class. Learning from someone who has achieved so much at the highest level motivates me to raise my standards every day.”

The big UAE dream

By raising his standards every day, Ayaan also hopes to reach the zenith of athletic excellence and become the first Indian-origin footballer to play for the UAE national team.

“On a personal level, representing the national team would be a dream and a huge honour,” he said.

“This country shaped me, developed me, and gave me opportunities. Right now, my focus is on improving every day and proving myself through performance. Whatever opportunities come, I will always respect and value the UAE for everything it has given me.”

Beyond the national team jersey and the trophies he craves, Ayaan believes it would be an equally big achievement if his story draws more youngsters from South Asian expat communities to football.

“If my journey can inspire young South Asian kids growing up in the Gulf to believe they also have a chance in this system, then that will be a truly special and proud moment for me,” he said.

“I mean, if you look at my story, my family is from Kerala (India), but Dubai is home. I was raised here, educated here, and developed as a footballer here. The UAE gave my family opportunity and security, and it gave me a platform to grow. I will always be grateful to this country.”