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Jasim Mohammed Abdullah Yousuf Al Haddad, a former player of the UAE national football team and Sharjah Club, passed away on Sunday, August 17. 

Renowned for his agility and finesse, Al Haddad earned the nickname "the ballet footballer". He was the first player to win the State Cup with Sharjah Club. and the youngest to join the UAE national team at the age of 16.

He represented the UAE in the third, fourth, and fifth Gulf Cups, the 1975 Palestine Cup, the 1979 Asian qualifiers, and the 1981 Merdeka Tournament.

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In a 2022 interview with Sharjah News, Al Haddad reflected on his time at Sharjah Club, saying, "From the club’s opening in 1977, we’ve been here. The first time we played on a grass pitch in the country was at this stadium." He remembered many matches and sweet memories at the club, but added, "Now, after many knee operations, my movement is very slow. I can only walk, I cannot run." 

He spoke about his early love for football, recalling that he played in school and neighborhood teams and often organised matches despite being one of the youngest players. He moved from Kuwait to the UAE at 14 and joined Al Orooba Club, where he played until his retirement.

Al Haddad came from a footballing family, with relatives Yusuf, Abdulrahman, and Ismail also representing Sharjah Club. Injuries forced him to retire in 1985, but he remained known as “Al Ghazal Al Asmar” (the brown gazelle) for his agility and skill, and is remembered in a photograph with the late Sheikh Zayed after winning the 1997 cup.

Photo: Supplied

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