Al-Wasl FC

Foundation

The concept of establishing a football club in Zabeel emerged in 1958 following meetings among local residents. At the time, there were no grass fields to play on, as football was still not popular. The club was officially founded with the name Al-Zamalek in 1960, in the house of Bakheet Salem, located in Zabeel. Club members had to rent a small house and each paid 10 Dirhams in order to support the club.

In 1962, the club moved to different house owned by Madia bint Sultan under the patronage of Sheikh Ahmed bin Rashid Al Maktoum and Sheikh Butti Bin Maktoum Al Maktoum. Later, the team elected Ahmed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum to be their club president, he agreed and even participated with the team in matches.

Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum was one of the players in Al-Zamalek, he played as a defender and was one of the best players in the team, winning many games before travelling to the United Kingdom to continue his studies. During this period, Al-Zamalek were arguably the best team in Dubai, winning against traditional giants like Al-Nasr 2–1, Al-Wahda 3–1, and the English Country Club in Dubai 3–2. They even played against teams outside Dubai like Ras Al Khaimah, winning the game with a crushing 6–1 result. Al-Zamalek won the 1966 Canada Dry Football Cup in Dubai, defeating Al-Shabab.

1970s

In 1972, Sheikh Rashid Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, vice president of UAE and ruler of Dubai, privileged the club by building its first headquarters in Za'abeel. This headquarters is still in use, in the same location where Zabeel Stadium is located.

The UAE League was started in 1973, with Al-Zamalek as one of the inaugural members. It was placed in a six-team group with Al Nasr, Al Shaab, Al Shoala, Al Najah, and Al-Oruba. Al-Zamalek was eliminated; group champions Al-Oruba went on to win the inaugural league title. During this season, the team's manager was Zaki Osman, who was a former player for the Egyptian club Zamalek SC.

In 1974, there was a merger between the Al Shoula Club in the Al Fahidi region and the Al Orouba club in Jumeirah. The two teams' members and staff joined into Al-Zamalek, making it one of the biggest clubs in Dubai. The new team remained based in Zabeel.

During this merger, the club's identity was changed to symbolise a fresh start for the team. It was renamed Al-Wasl, meaning 'connection' in Arabic, which was a historical name for the city of Dubai, as the club connects the youth through sport and other cultural activities. The club's colour was changed to yellow, which no other team used in the country.

Al Wasl's first season as a new team was the 1974–1975 season. It played ten games in the season and lost five, won two, and drew three, finishing fourth in its six-team section. The next season was still tough for the newly-formed team, as they won four games, lost seven, and drew five, finishing sixth in the league out of nine teams. The next few seasons were trophy-less. Other Dubai-based teams, like Al-Nasr and Al-Ahli, enjoyed nationwide success, but Al Wasl still needed more time to develop its players and bring in new talent.

By the late 1970s, things were beginning to change for the team: more local young players were being added to the ranks of the youth teams, and the team was consistently playing better football. The Ghanaian football legend Mohammed Polo was signed to the team, where he enjoyed a prolific career.

1980s

The 1980s were a golden age for Al Wasl. The team won the league five times, the most out of any team in the history of the league at the time. The decade began with the 1980 opening of Al Wasl's stadium, the Zabeel Stadium, located in Zabeel, Dubai. It held around 9,000 people, subsequently upgraded to a capacity of 25,000 by 2025.

During the 1980-81 season, the team was under the leadership of the Brazilian coach Valinhos. Around this time, the team went to an official training camp in Germany, where they trained and played friendly games against various German teams. From this training camp, the team gained vital knowledge and skills necessary to develop their playing style and experience to challenge for the league title and cups.

Later that year, a three-man group went to Brazil in order to scout a coach for the team and even players. Amongst these three men was Saeed Hareb. In Brazil, the men were introduced by a taxi driver to Gilson Nunes, who was a local assistant coach for the Brazilian national team. Gílson Nunes was flown back to Dubai and became the assistant coach for Al Wasl, under the leadership of Joel Santana.

Notable players of this time period include Fahad Khamees, (nicknamed "the dark cheetah"), a UAE national team player in the 1990 World Cup; Mohammed Polo, a Ghanaian forward who was nicknamed "the dribbling magician" and played with the club from 1979 to 1985; Zuhair Bakheet, who spent his entire 18-year career in Al Wasl and led the UAE national team to the World Cup, and goalkeeper Hamad Yousuf.

In the 1981–82 season, armed with the skills gained in the German training camp, the new coaches, new players, and young talents, Al Wasl won their maiden league title, leaving Al Ain in second place. Al Wasl clinched back-to-back league titles in the 1982-83 season, ending the season with 25 points and fortifying its position as one of the leaders of Emirati football. In the following season, Al Wasl came second, but the team was able to bounce back and win the league in 1984-85 with ease; Al Wasl lost that season's final of the President's Cup 2–0 against Sharjah.

Al Wasl finished second in the 1985–86 season, when its rival Al Nasr lifted the league with another two-point difference. Al Wasl was the runner-up of the 1985-86 President's cup, losing 2–0 against rivals Al Nasr.

In the 1986–87 season, Al Wasl won the UAE President's Cup for the first time, defeating Al Khaleej (now Khor Fakkan Club) 2–0. Al Wasl also finished second in the league, three points behind Sharjah. The club's consistent finishes near the top of the league standings during this period reflected its status as one of the leading teams in Emirati football.

In the same season, Al Wasl made it to the Asian Club Championship, but was eliminated in the qualifying stage. They qualified through their good performance in the Gulf Clubs' Champions League in the same year.

In 1987–88, Al Wasl won the league with an 18-point difference to clinch their fourth league title in six years, more than any other side in the UAE at the time; this record would stand until Al Ain secured their seventh title in 2001–02.