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UAE youngsters learn skills from Barca coaches

DUBAI - As many as 70 young footballers of the country concluded a successful three-day FC Barcelona football clinic, hosted by Etisalat, UAE’s leading telecom and the Official International Partner for Football Club Barcelona (FCB), a press release said.

The grand finale ceremony, held on May 15 at the Etisalat Academy, recognised the participation and progress of the under-12 and under-14 teams with personalised certificates and medals awarded by Etisalat and FCBEscola, the official FC Barcelona school of football.

The clinic consisted a total of 15 hours of theoretical and practical training for the two groups held at the Etisalat Academy in Dubai and was also attended by seven local coaches from the UAE’s youth clubs, in coordination with the UAE Football Association (UAEFA).

A proud parent of 9-year old Mohammed Abdullah commended Etisalat’s initiative: “We are thankful to Etisalat for providing our son and all the other youngsters with this huge opportunity that will boost their confidence levels and improve their football skills. In a short span of three days, the FCB coaches in particular have had a very inspiring impact on the children and we are very happy that our son was part of this camp. This is truly a rare and unique chance and I wish Etisalat the best for bringing more initiatives like this in the future that help develop the football talent in the nature.”

Haitham Al Kharusi, Vice President of Marketing Communications at Etisalat, said: “Etisalat is a strong supporter of football and we believe that such platforms engage the youth in sporting activities that expose them to life’s possibilities.

“We are particularly keen on nurturing the nation’s young football talents. The success of the clinic and appreciation from parents of the young participants testify Etisalat’s efforts and achievements in creating an unparalleled learning opportunity for UAE’s football youth.

“We want to thank the UAE youth team coaches and parents for encouraging their kids to come out and spend their weekend to learn from the on-field and off-field experiences of the renowned FCB coaches. As part of our three-year partnership with FC Barcelona, we look forward to bringing many more initiatives to the UAE that will engage and develop the country’s football.”