du Football Champions, the only international scouting platform in partnership with LaLiga and home of the official UAE Schools & Streets Cups, witnessed its largest Finals to date at the Dubai Mall Ice Rink drawing over 10,000 fans and spectators over the course of the day.
The Finals were attended by Fahd Hassawi, deputy CEO du, Fernando Sanz, MENA Director General LaLiga and duFC Director, LaLiga legends Carles Puyol and Roberto Carlos and high levels officials from Dubai and Abu Dhabi Sports Councils and Ministry of Education.
du Football Champions drew thousands of fans to the Dubai Mall Ice Rink as the top youth football teams across the nation met for the final time for the chance to be crowned the best team of the nation. LaLiga coaches were on the lookout for exceptional talents who will be selected to join the du LaLiga High Performance Centre.
Each match brought the audience an array of fantastic football and intense competition as teams from all corners of the UAE met to battle it out for their final matches.
Speaking after the finals, Fernando Sanz, Director General for LaLiga in MENA and duFC Director said: “We have witnessed exceptional play in duFC Football Champions in its third season. LaLiga scouts selected high level talents from Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Northern Emirates whose journey to professional football careers is about to begin thanks to the exceptional program we have established at du LaLiga High Performance Center.”
The last match of the day proved to be the highlight of the tournament. Al Maarifa International Private School Sharjah faced off against returning champions from Season1, The International School of Choueifat Dubai, in a heated match. Al Maarifa took the early lead in the first 8 minutes of the match with a goal that seemed to shake Choueifat. Choueifat responded with counterattacks and a beefed-up defense but Al Maarifa found the back of the net again a few mins before the end of the first half.
Coming into the second half 2-0 up it seemed that Al Maarifa had taken the gold, but Choueifat kept the pressure on and put away a screaming shot into the back of the net 10 minutes into the second half to a resounding uproar from the brimming Choueifat crowd. With just two and a half seconds left on the clock Choueifat scored the equalizer taking the game to a dreaded penalty shootout lasting 18 rounds until the Choueifat goalkeeper saved a blast from Al Maarifa’s lead striker handing his team the title of 2018 UAE Schools Cup Champions. Final score after penalty shootout was 19 -18 to the International Sch
ool of Choueifat Dubai.
Congratulations to the winning teams from the 2017-2018 season of du Football Champions:
UAE Schools Cup Boys U12:
1st Place – The French School (LFIGP) – Dubai
2nd Place – Dubai National School Al Twar
3rd Place – Al Dhafra Private Schools Al Ain
UAE Streets Cup Boys U14
1st Place – Abu Dhabi Thistle Red
2nd Place – The Mavericks – Al Ain
3rd Place – Future Stars – Abu Dhabi
UAE Schools Cup Boys U14
1st Place – British School Al Khubairat – Abu Dhabi
2nd Place – Sultan Bin Zayed School – Al Ain
3rd Place – The French School (LFIGP) – Dubai
UAE Girls Challenge
1st Place – GoPro Sports – Dubai
2nd Place – UAE National Team – Dubai
3rd Place – Regional Sports – Abu Dhabi
UAE Streets Cup Boys U16
1st Place – Al Nujoom – Dubai
2nd Place – Professional – Northern Emirates
3rd Place – Liwa Players – Liwa
UAE Schools Cup Boys U16
1st Place – The International School of Choueifat – Dubai
2nd Place – Al Maarifa International Private School – Sharjah
3rd Place – DESC – Dubai