ABU DHABI: Ali Mabkhout, the Al Jazira FC and UAE national team all-time top scorer, has signed a new contract with the Arabian Gulf League (AGL) champions until at least 2026.
The 30-year-old has been a constant presence in the club’s recent history, and is a graduate of its youth academy. During his 17 years at the “Pride of Abu Dhabi,” Mabkhout has appeared in 289 domestic matches, scoring an astonishing 199 goals along the way.
“Al Jazira has always been my second home and my big football family,” said Mabkhout. “It is the club that gave me everything I could have wished for as a professional footballer. I want to thank everyone at the club for their continuous trust and support in me over the past years. Thanks to our esteemed leadership, the club has a clear vision and a great squad for great success in the upcoming years.
“I am very grateful to the ‘Pride of Abu Dhabi’s’ loyal fans for showing me unconditional support every single day,” he added. “I am very thankful for the opportunity to play for them for many years to come. They are one of the biggest reasons I train my hardest every day to live up to their high expectations on the pitch. My focus now lies on working with the rest of team to build on the great achievements of last year and fight for all titles next season.”
Having scored 171 goals in 234 AGL matches, the striker now sits just four goals away from becoming the all-time top scorer of the UAE’s top-flight league.
Lat season, Al Jazira’s vice-captain led the club to its third AGL title by playing every single minute of the campaign. Mabkhout’s exceptional turnout was topped by being crowned the league’s top scorer, with 25 goals in 26 matches, as well as leading the assists standings with 10, alongside fellow midfielder Khalfan Al-Mubarak.
“Mabkhout is one of the symbols of Al Jazira and Emirati football,” Mohammed Saif Al-Suwaidi, chair of Al-Jazira’s sporting committee, said. “We cannot measure the sheer importance of his technical ability to our team. He is also one of the best players to embody Al Jazira’s values and principles in the best way possible both on and off the pitch. Therefore, it was our top priority to renew his contract during this transfer window and to keep him at his second home for years to come.
“Many young players consider Ali an inspiration because of his efforts, commitment, spirit and high professionalism which he has showcased since the start of his footballing career,” he added. “All these qualities made him compete against some of the best and most famous international players in our league and enabled him to top them both on an individual and team basis. We are all happy and proud of everything he does and will continue to do for Al Jazira and the national team. We have high hopes in his ability to achieve even greater individual and team success in the future.”
During his tenure at the club, Mabkhout cemented himself as one of Asia’s most prolific strikers, winning the AGL on three occasions (2010-11, 2016-17, 2020-21), UAE President’s Cup three times (2010-11, 2011-12, 2015-16) and the Arabian Gulf Cup once. On the world stage, he has represented Al Jazira 12 times in the AFC Asian Champions League, scoring 13 goals along the way. He also featured in the 2017 Club World Cup, which saw Al Jazira secure fourth place.
“Ali is an influential member of the Al Jazira family, he has been proudly with us every step of the way of his distinguished career and has written his name in the history books of our club,” Al Jazira CEO Ali Youssef Al Hammadi said. “There was only one decision we always had in mind when it came to his future, and that was to pen down a long-term deal. Ali is respected and loved across the country and the wider global football community, and we take great pride that he actively gives back to our local community.”
The player’s collection of individual accolades with the Abu Dhabi club includes winning the AGL golden boot twice (2016-17, 2020-21) and being crowned player of the season in the title-winning 2016-17 season.
Mabkhout’s renewal follows a string of contract extensions by the club over the past few months to secure the services of its stars for the upcoming seasons, which include Ali Khaseif, Miloš Kosanović, Thulani Serrero, Khalifa Al Hammadi, in addition to Dutch head coach Marcel Keizer.
