After loosing his father at the tender age of nine, UAE-based footballer Fahad Mousa Ali was determined to do something that would make his late father proud. After earning a bachelor’s degree in business management, he decided to do something for his country rather than opting for a corporate job. Today, Fahad plays for the Al Bataeh Club (popular football club in UAE) and is part of the national team. Interestingly, Fahad is also a police officer with the Abu Dhabi department and he enjoys juggling both the roles.

Like him, all his siblings also belong to professions that showcase love for their country. “One of my brothers is a captain in the  army and another one works with the Dubai airport police. My sisters are also government employees,” says Fahad, adding that his third brother, Younis, is a popular bodybuilder in UAE and he’s glad that both of them are national level athletes, making their country proud.

Ask him why he decided to get into football, and Fahad says that it take a strong will and a lot of power to be a footballer. “As a kid, I would watch a lot of sports on TV, but football appealed to me the most. My favourite player was Ronaldinho (Brazilian footballer). Whenever I played football with my friends in school or the alley, I excelled. One day, the manager watched me and told me to join the club,” recalls Fahad, adding that at the age of 14, he trained in the club every day and he became a national level player by 2017.

He has won several tournaments over the years and he strongly advocates being a sportsman. Fahad feels that it’s great for every individual, as it increases energy and tolerance. Talking about the benefits of being an athlete, he says that it also strengthens bones and muscles and increases heart activity and lung capacity. Playing a sport also increases the flexibility of joints.