Desert Rangers continue with more trophies
dubai — Top Dubai age group soccer outfit, the Desert Rangers, continue to grab major honours in the leading tournaments in the UAE.
The under 14 team won the ADIB Future Champions League Football Tournament, which is a nationwide football competition organised annually by the Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank. And, in the under 12 category, the Rangers finished in silver berth.
For the under 14 lads there were more reasons than just the coveted trophy to cherish. Suhail Al Areefi, CEO of the UAE Pro League Committee, presented them with certificates along with a personalised football signed by the world’s
It has been an amazing few weeks for the Desert Rangers, having again achieved successes in national and international competitions
John Adetiba
greatest player, Lionel Messi.
The ADIB Future Champions League is the UAE’s largest and most far reaching competitive football tournament for schools, clubs and academies, with over 6,000 UAE children from over 300 different schools, clubs and academies having participated since its inception.
Meanwhile, the Desert Rangers U-8s team won the Dubai International Super Cup 2016. The under 8s are the youngest Rangers squad and they played two gruelling days against teams from across the Mid- dle East and further afield in the world, eventually emerging as the Dubai International Super Cup 2016 Under 8 Cup winners.
The Dubai International Super Cup is the biggest annual football competition in the Middle East and this year took place at the Dubai Emirates Sevens Stadium till the end of the first weekend of this month.
“It has been an amazing few weeks for the Desert Rangers, having again achieved successes in national and international competitions. We are really proud of all the players and remain grateful to the parents who continue to support our dream for the Desert Rangers,” said John Adetiba, who is the brain behind Dubai Desert Rangers.
The team has produced players like Jordan Adetiba who is part of a top English team’s development academy side, apart from once being in the probables list for the Nigerian under 13 national squad.
“That we continue to win accolades and now have players who have left us and moved to professional academies in Europe is a testament to our ongoing belief in and commitment to non-commercial grassroots football. We are proud to remain one of the UAE’s foremost parent-led footballing entities at the grassroot levels,” Adetiba continued.