UAE star Omar announces retirement; once hailed as Messi of the Gulf

The 34-year-old attacking midfielder issued a statement on social media and wrote: "Today, I announce the end of my football career with love and gratitude. It has been a beautiful journey, lasting many years, full of challenges and successes. This journey is built on hard work and the support of loyal fans. Today, I close this beautiful chapter in my life and start a new journey."

Omar is widely regarded as one of the most talented players in the history of the United Arab Emirates. He played 73 times for the national team, scoring 11 goals, and represented the UAE in the 2011 and 2015 Asian Cup, leading the team to third place in 2015.

In his career, Omar spent the most glorious years in Al Ain. The playmaker, who was born in Saudi Arabia and came from the Riyadh Crescent youth academy, was promoted to the Al Ain first team in 2008, played 198 times and won 4 league championships. In 2018, he briefly returned to Riyadh Crescent to play for one year, and then continued to play in the UAE Professional League, successively playing for Al-Jazira, Shabab Al-Ahli and the last club Al-Wasl. In February 2024, he was crowned the league champion again with the team.

Omar had been a free agent for several months before retiring. Although he has been plagued by injuries in recent years, the player known as the Messi of the Gulf has already become a symbol of UAE football and a legend in the hearts of a generation of fans with his gorgeous skills, extraordinary creativity and iconic curly hair.