Walid Abbas: Age, Career, Stats and UAE Football Legacy

Meet the veteran Emirati defender known for his leadership, long career, major trophies and more than 100 UAE appearances.

Ae Businesses July 18, 2026

0 1 9 minutes read

Introduction

Walid Abbas is an Emirati professional footballer who plays as a defender for Shabab Al Ahli. He is famous for his long career in UAE football, leadership on the field, domestic titles and service to the United Arab Emirates national team.

Born on 11 June 1985, Walid Abbas is 41 years old as of July 2026. His official club profile continues to list him as a Shabab Al Ahli defender wearing shirt number 5. He also represented the club in the AFC Champions League Elite in April 2026, confirming that his professional career continued into the 2025–26 season.

Table of Contents

Quick Answer

Walid Abbas is a UAE football defender who began his senior career with Al Shabab in 2002. He later joined Al Ahli and continued with Shabab Al Ahli after the creation of the merged club. He has won 22 reported career titles, played more than 300 UAE professional league matches and represented the UAE national team more than 100 times.

Walid Abbas Quick Profile

Detail	Verified Information
Full Name	Walid Abbas Murad Yousuf Al-Balooshi
Known As	Walid Abbas
Date of Birth	11 June 1985
Age	41 years old as of July 2026
Nationality	Emirati
Profession	Professional footballer
Position	Defender
Current Club	Shabab Al Ahli
Shirt Number	5
Senior Career Start	2002
National Team	United Arab Emirates
Reported UAE Appearances	105 or 106, depending on the statistical source
International Goals	6
Reported Career Titles	22

Walid Abbas’s full name appears in official UAE Pro League records as Walid Abbas Murad Yousuf Albalooshi. His club uses the shorter name Walid Abbas Murad.

Who Is Walid Abbas?

Walid Abbas is one of the most experienced defenders in modern Emirati football.

He built his reputation through consistency, discipline, leadership and the ability to continue playing at a high level for more than two decades. His career connects three important Dubai football identities: Al Shabab, Al Ahli and the present Shabab Al Ahli club.

Unlike an attacking player who is mainly judged by goals, a defender is responsible for stopping attacks, organising the back line and helping the team remain calm under pressure. Abbas became respected for performing these duties across domestic and international football.

His long service makes him an important figure for readers interested in UAE football history. Younger Emirati players, including Ali Saleh and the new generation of UAE football talent, represent the era that followed experienced national players such as Abbas.

Walid Abbas Age and Date of Birth

Walid Abbas was born on 11 June 1985.

He turned 41 on 11 June 2026. His date of birth is confirmed by both his club and the UAE Pro League.

Continuing to compete professionally at this age is uncommon for an outfield footballer. Defenders must run, challenge opponents, recover quickly and maintain strong physical fitness throughout a match.

Abbas has explained that his long career is connected to regular training, self-development and careful attention to his physical condition. He has also described calmness, self-confidence and commitment as important qualities for professional players.

Walid Abbas Height and Physical Profile

Official sources provide slightly different measurements.

Shabab Al Ahli lists Walid Abbas at 183 centimetres and 68 kilograms. The UAE Pro League lists him at 181 centimetres and 72 kilograms.

This small difference may come from measurements taken at different stages of his career. The safest conclusion is that his officially reported height is between 181 and 183 centimetres.

Early Football Career with Al Shabab

Walid Abbas began his senior football career with Al Shabab in 2002.

Starting so young gave him time to develop his positioning, defensive awareness and understanding of UAE football. He remained connected with Al Shabab for more than a decade before moving to Al Ahli in 2013.

His years at Al Shabab helped him become a recognised domestic defender and opened the door to international football.

The length of this early period is important. Modern players sometimes move between clubs frequently, but Abbas built his foundation slowly. He developed through regular competition rather than becoming famous after only a few matches.

Move to Al Ahli and Shabab Al Ahli

Walid Abbas moved to Al Ahli in 2013.

This transfer began the most successful period of his club career. He played in teams that regularly competed for UAE league titles, domestic cups and Asian football honours.

When Al Ahli, Al Shabab and Dubai Club were combined under the Shabab Al Ahli identity in 2017, Abbas continued with the new club.

His continued presence gave the team experience and a direct connection to the history of both Al Shabab and Al Ahli.

As of July 2026, the official Shabab Al Ahli player profile continues to list him among the club’s defenders with shirt number 5.

Walid Abbas Career Statistics

The UAE Pro League records the following overall professional competition numbers for Walid Abbas:

364 appearances
30,608 minutes played
20 goals
62 yellow cards
5 red cards

These figures include the domestic professional competitions counted by the league database. Readers can view the official UAE Pro League statistics for Walid Abbas.

Scoring 20 goals is a respectable total for a player whose main responsibility is defending. Defenders usually score through headers, set pieces or moments when they move forward to support an attack.

UAE National Team Career

Walid Abbas made his senior international debut for the United Arab Emirates in December 2008.

He became an important part of the national defence and represented the UAE in major regional and continental tournaments.

His international career included appearances at the:

2011 AFC Asian Cup
2015 AFC Asian Cup
2019 AFC Asian Cup
Arabian Gulf Cup
FIFA World Cup qualifying competitions
2021 FIFA Arab Cup

He helped the UAE finish third at the 2015 AFC Asian Cup, one of the country’s strongest results in the competition.

Published records disagree slightly about his total number of senior international appearances. Al Bayan reported 105 appearances and six goals, while some international statistical records count 106 appearances. The difference may result from how particular matches are officially recognised.

Did Walid Abbas Retire from International Football?

Walid Abbas said in February 2025 that he had not formally retired from international football.

He stated that he was ready to represent the UAE again if selected by the national-team coaching staff. He also advised younger players to protect their careers, focus on football and avoid becoming distracted by media attention.

His last widely recorded UAE appearance came in 2023, but a lack of recent selection is not the same as an official retirement announcement.

Therefore, he should not be described as having formally retired from the UAE national team unless he or the football authorities make a clear announcement.

Walid Abbas Achievements and Trophies

Walid Abbas had collected a reported 22 career titles by June 2025.

Al Bayan reported that 19 of those titles were connected with his period at Shabab Al Ahli. His honours include league championships, President’s Cups, League Cups, Super Cups and UAE–Qatar competitions.

The 2024–25 season became one of the most successful campaigns of his career. Shabab Al Ahli won four trophies during that period:

UAE league title
UAE President’s Cup
UAE Super Cup
UAE–Qatar Super Shield

Abbas said that every trophy held special value because each one required hard work and competition on the field.

The 2015 AFC Champions League Final

One of Walid Abbas’s biggest continental achievements came when Al Ahli reached the 2015 AFC Champions League final.

Reaching the final placed the Dubai club among the strongest teams in Asian football that year. Although Al Ahli did not win the trophy, the campaign remains an important part of the club’s history.

Abbas later said that winning Asia’s leading club competition remained a major ambition. He wanted Shabab Al Ahli to return to the highest level and achieve a better ending than the 2015 final.

In April 2026, he was still representing Shabab Al Ahli during the AFC Champions League Elite finals. Before the quarter-final against Buriram United, he spoke about preparation, focus and avoiding mistakes.

Playing Style and Leadership

Walid Abbas mainly plays as a central defender, although he has also been used in wider defensive positions.

His main qualities include:

Defensive positioning
Experience under pressure
Leadership
Physical commitment
Calm decision-making
Understanding of UAE football
Ability to guide younger teammates

A veteran defender may not have the speed of a young player, but experience can help him recognise danger earlier. Good positioning allows a defender to stop an attack before it becomes a clear scoring chance.

Abbas’s public comments also show a team-first approach. He regularly speaks about preparation, discipline and collective success instead of focusing only on personal records.

This type of professionalism can also be seen in other UAE athletes. Racing driver Amna Al Qubaisi has built her career through discipline in motorsport, while UAE cricketers such as Basil Hameed have also shown how patience and regular improvement can produce a long sporting career.

Why Has Walid Abbas Played for So Long?

Professional football is physically difficult. Most outfield players cannot continue at the highest domestic level into their forties.

Walid Abbas has connected his longevity with:

Regular training
Physical fitness
Mental preparation
Self-discipline
Continuous improvement
Professional commitment
Strong motivation to win more trophies

In a 2025 interview, he said that he continued working to improve himself and wanted to give his best until the final day of his career.

His story shows that natural talent is only one part of a successful career. Players must also care for their bodies, follow training plans and remain mentally focused.

Other experienced UAE sports figures, including fast bowlers Junaid Siddique and Zahoor Khan, also demonstrate how discipline and adaptation can help an athlete remain competitive.

Walid Abbas Retirement Plans

Walid Abbas said in June 2025 that retirement was not yet in his thoughts.

He described leaving football as a decision that would be extremely difficult. His desire to continue was driven by his love of competition and his interest in winning more trophies.

At that time, his contract was approaching its end, but the club had not publicly announced a renewal. Later evidence confirmed that he remained involved with Shabab Al Ahli during the 2025–26 season, including its AFC Champions League Elite campaign in April 2026.

No official retirement announcement had been located as of 17 July 2026.

Walid Abbas Public Image

Walid Abbas is generally known as a respected veteran of UAE football.

His public image is connected with:

Loyalty to UAE football
Leadership
Domestic success
National-team service
Professional discipline
Career longevity
Support for younger players

He has experienced difficult moments, including injuries and challenging international matches. However, his ability to continue competing for many years became a larger part of his story than any single setback.

His career provides an important lesson: one difficult match does not have to define an athlete’s future.

Seven Interesting Facts About Walid Abbas

He started his senior career in 2002.
His professional journey has covered parts of 25 calendar years.
He was born on 11 June 1985.
He turned 41 in June 2026.
He wears shirt number 5.
Shabab Al Ahli’s official profile lists him as a number 5 defender.
He has played more than 300 professional league matches.
He is one of the longest-serving players in the UAE professional era.
He has scored 20 goals in the competitions counted by the UAE Pro League.
This is a strong total for a defender.
He represented the UAE more than 100 times.
Sources record either 105 or 106 senior international appearances.
He had won 22 reported career titles by June 2025.
Nineteen were linked with his Shabab Al Ahli period.

Walid Abbas’s Impact on UAE Football

Walid Abbas represents an important period in the development of UAE professional football.

He played before and after major changes in Dubai’s club structure. He also competed across several generations of national-team players.

His most important contribution is not based on one goal or one match. It comes from remaining dependable for clubs and country across many seasons.

Young defenders can learn several lessons from his career:

Understand positioning, not only physical strength.
Keep training even after achieving success.
Stay calm during difficult matches.
Respect the team’s needs.
Protect physical and mental fitness.
Learn from setbacks.
Continue improving with age.

Conclusion

Walid Abbas is one of the most experienced and decorated Emirati defenders of his generation.

He began playing senior football in 2002, represented the United Arab Emirates more than 100 times and collected a reported 22 career trophies by June 2025. His official club profile and AFC activity showed that he remained connected with Shabab Al Ahli during the 2025–26 season.

His career is built on more than statistics. Discipline, leadership, fitness and a strong desire to compete helped him remain in professional football into his forties.

For UAE football supporters, Walid Abbas represents loyalty, experience and the value of continuing to work after achieving success.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is Walid Abbas?

Walid Abbas is an Emirati professional footballer who plays as a defender. He is known for representing Shabab Al Ahli and the United Arab Emirates national team.