Al Gharafa, Al Duhail SC crowned Aspire Football League champions

Doha, Qatar: Al Gharafa Under-12 side and Al Duhail U-11 team were crowned champions of the 2018-2019 Aspire Football League that took place last week on Aspire Academy’s outdoor football pitches.

The annual celebration saw some of Qatar’s finest young football talents from Al Gharafa, Al Ahli, Al Sadd, Al Duhail, Al Arabi, Al Rayyan, Al Khor and Al Shamal compete in two age groups.

In the U-11 age group, Al Duhail triumphed against Al Saad 4-1 in the final, while Al Gharafa’s U-12s claimed the title after a comprehensive 4-1 win against Al Arabi.

Commenting on his team’s victory, Karim Mrabet, Al Gharafa’s U-12 Coach, said: "We’re proud of our victory in this fantastic tournament. The standard of play was very high, and the competition in our group was very tough. Our participation provided a great opportunity for the entire squad to compete and I’m really proud of how well they did. Our players were incredibly focused and stuck to the game plan. This tournament has definitely helped them to take an important step forward in terms of their development."

Meanwhile, Ossama Mousad Nour, Al Duhail’s U-11 Coach, said: "It was a fantastic tournament overall and we’re very happy with our results. I think this group of youngsters is one of the best that we have seen at Duhail. Nine of my team are playing in Aspire’s feeder team, and we have a number of other very talented players on the team. If they keep their focus and work hard I’m sure they’ll achieve even more success in the future. I’m sure that they have the potential to play for Qatar’s national team one day."

The Aspire Football League provides talented youngsters in Qatar with the chance to gain additional playing time and to develop important skills and build up their experience. The League also provides Aspire Academy with further opportunities to judge the skills of talented young players and select candidates for full scholarships.

Over the past decade, the Academy has produced some of Qatar’s most prominent footballers including the likes of Almoez Ali, Akram Afif and the majority of players that triumphed in the 2019 AFC Asian Cup.

Aspire Academy produces rounded graduates that not only have the potential to succeed in the sporting arena, but individuals with the potential to become future leaders in fields including medicine, engineering, social sciences and more. This reflects Aspire Academy’s role to support the Qatar National Vision 2030 and its objectives.