He expressed his gratitude to His Highness Sheikh Hazza Bin Zayed Al-Nahyen and Sheikh Sultan Bin Hamdan Bin Zayed Al-Nahyan
All of my goals at this continental football tournament are important but the most important goal of mine was the goal I scored vs Saudi Al-Nassr
The top scorer award is not of my concern when compared with claiming the continental glory and bringing the smiles of joy and happiness to the nation
We are looking forward to return the appreciation of Ainawi fans by claiming the trophy of AFC Champions League football tournament
With all due respect to the ambitions of the Japanese football team of Yokohama F. Marinos but “Al-Zaeem” is worthy of claiming the trophy of this football tournament
My father’s support is special to me and I wish to make him happy
Confidence is precious
The top scorer of AFC Champions League football tournament 2023-2024, with 11 goals in total, and the forward player for Al-Ain FC, the international Moroccan player Soufiane Rahimi, expressed his immense gratitude and appreciation for His Highness Sheikh Hazza Bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, deputy ruler of the emirate of Abu Dhabi, first deputy to chairman of the club, first deputy to the chairman of the honorary council, and chairman of Al-Ain sports and cultural club, for his limitless support and his precious trust that he has always been receiving along with his teammates from His Highness, asserting that since he joined the ranks of Al-Ain FC he was always keen to show the best performance he can achieve in order to be able to transform, along with his teammates, the support and patronage of His Highness into accomplishments. We ask Al-Mighty Allah to guide us to achieve success at the 2nd leg final match of AFC champions League football tournament in order to be able to realize all of our ambitions.
He added: “I would like to express my immense gratitude to Sheikh Sultan Bin Hamdan Bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, vice chairman of the board of directors of Al-Ain sports and cultural club, chairman of the executive committee, and the chairman of the committee of Al-Ain fooball affairs company, for his moral support and for the constant attendance by the side of the team while facing all challenges up until we managed to reach the final match of AFC Champions League football tournament.”
My wish is Asian
Commenting on a question over the feeling he has after becoming closer to claiming the Asian continental glory, he said: “It is definitely not easy to describe my feelings from the first moment we came into the atmospheres of the Asian football tournament, up until reaching the final match. I will not be divulging a secret if I told you that my true wish since I joined the ranks of Al-Ain FC is to claim a continental accomplishment with the team, I also thank Al-Mighty Allah for assisting me in my first ever engagement by reaching the tournament’s final match. Now, we are only one step closer to claim the continental glory, so I ask Al-Mighty Allah to assist and guide us to achieve success and claim the tournaments title.”
He went on: “Those who are following up with Al-Ain’s journey since the start of this football tournament up until the current moment, will definitely be sure that the team deserves to play after successfully overcoming big challenges, so the team is now facing the most difficult of all challenges and we are ready to make our goals come true and to satisfy all fans who are in favor of the United Arab Emirates football.”
25th of May is the nation’s day
Commenting on a question over his feeling after this period of time he has spent with Al-Ain FC, he said: “Practically, I have become one of Al-Ain’s sons, for when I have arrived to the United Arab Emirates I had a wonderful welcome and a heartfelt greetings from everyone, and its not only me, but all of my teammates, who are well aware that our fans deserve to be happy on the 25th of the current month of May.”
Saudi Al-Hilal and Saudi Al-Nassr
Over the most difficult challenge Al-Ain faced, in his point of view, all along the team’s continental journey, he said: “There are no easy match at AFC Champions League football tournament, but I think that the final moments of this Asian football tournament was the most engaging, competitive, and the fans’ most watch moments. In my opinion, I think that our matches vs Saudi Al-Hilal and Saudi Al-Nassr, together and without favoring one challenge over the other, were the most difficult of all challenges we have faced all along our journey in this tournament.”
The most important goals
In response to a question over the password that lies behind his awesome performance and claiming the title of the tournament’s top scorer, and what is the most important goal he managed to achieve, he said: “In football realm the password for the awesome performance has always been represented in the spirit of one team and the spirit of one squad, while the top scorer title, when reflected upon as a personal award, is not of my concern when it is compared with the continental title and rising upon the coronation podium by claiming the second Asian star for Al-Ain FC. Regarding the most important goal, in my opinion, I think that all of the goals the team has managed to accomplish are of great importance towards realizing the sought after goal of claiming the needed result, but my goal vs Saudi Al-Nassr was special.”
My father’s impact
Over the importance of the support Soufiane Rahimi has always been receiving from his family, he said: “It is for sure that I am receiving an unwavering support from my big and small family alike, but my father’s support for me by attending all matches and some training sessions has always had a special impact in myself, this is because my father was able to live the atmospheres of football and he knows many secrets and confidential matters in football realm, and I hope I can bring joy and happiness for him, the fans of the United Arab Emirates football, and the fans of the Arab football by claiming the trophy of the Asian football tournament.”
Al-Ain fans
Soufiane Rahimi concluded his speech by saluting Ainawi nation, asserting that: “Words of gratitude are not enough for Al-Ain fans, who were patient, supportive, and accompanied the team to all matches, inside and out side the United Arab Emirates, and since I landed here at Al-Ain I saw them supporting and cheering for the players and the team at all events, so I hope to claim the title for them.”
