With his booming British accent and trusty drum in hand, super fan William Luke certainly stands out from the crowd cheering on Abu Dhabi's high-flying football side Al Wadha.
The devoted supporter – affectionately known as Wolfie – has found a spiritual home among the thousands who flock to Al Nahyan Stadium since moving to the UAE in 2015.
He has become something of a cult hero among the predominantly Emirati fanbase over the years, many of whom stop to have their picture taken with him at games. He has even won recognition from one of the club's star players.
A chance encounter with his local team has stretched into a decade-long love affair and highlighted football's enduring power to bring all backgrounds and nationalities together.
“I was quite bored, it was hot, so I went out for a long walk," he said. "It just so happened that I passed by Al Wahda Mall, saw the colour of the team is maroon, which is just the same as [my team] Aston Villa. It was an epiphany, 'Wow, I found a team.'”
Spreading the word
In the past year, he has been building his brand “Wolfie in the Desert” and attracted a niche following from young Emirati football fans on platforms including TikTok and Instagram.
He has won prominence within the UAE Pro League, thanks to his matchday vlogs. But for him it was never about getting attention, it was about sharing his passion and getting more people involved.
“It's strange, but now even on a Saturday, if Aston Villa are playing at the same time as Al Wahda, or there's a UAE Pro League game, I will go to the UAE Pro League game. I'd rather sit with 1,000 fans, 500 fans – that, to me, is real," Mr Luke said.
“When you're an expat living out here watching your team on the television, it's not the same, and I think that's what I try to put on people, make the effort to get to games, enjoy the live atmosphere.
Embracing the beautiful game
“I've not liked the fan culture back in Europe these days, there is too much hooliganism. Here it's a pure love of football. If I compare it to England, there's a massive drinking culture, bad language, swearing. That's part and parcel of the football in Europe and you don't get that in the UAE.
"It's just a safer environment. The football is probably not as good as Europe yet, but the quality of the teams is improving."
In search of glory
Khalid Almarzooqi, 25, grew up with his family supporting Al Wahda. He is a proud supporter who travels with the team to any game they play.
“These fans are loyal compared to other fans. For years, we haven't won the league, but still they are supporting, pushing the club until we win,” he said.
Al Wahda are currently tied for first place in the AFC Champions League Elite, alongside Al Ahli from Saudi Arabia, and are in second spot in the UAE Pro League.
Dusan Tadic, who has played for Serbia, Fenerbahce and Southampton, is one of the recent high-profile signings who joined Al Wahda this season. For him, fans like "Wolfie" make a difference in the game.
“Wolfie gives a lot of positive energy and a lot of nice things for our fans, for our club. It's nice to have him,” he told The National.
“It's great to see the fans in the stadium follow us, and I think also today they made a great atmosphere,” he said, speaking after Al Wadha secured a 3-1 home win over Qatar's Al Duhail in the Asian Football Confederation [AFC] Champions League on Monday.
UAE national team player Caio Canedo agreed with his teammate, saying he knows the fans make a difference especially when they play at home. “I've been here just two or three months. But I felt at home since the first day,” he added.
Joining the football community
“I was a bit shy in the first few years to get involved, but I realised that they're such loving, warm people," Mr Luke said. "I've even brought in a couple of my own English versions of songs into the ground. I'm probably the first Englishman that's ever been on the microphone during the match as a non-Arab and, you know, that for me was probably my greatest moment."
Watching Mr Luke with fellow Al Wahda fans, or Wahdawis as they are known, it is clear they have welcomed him as one of their own. “I think it's very accessible, and we would love to see more women at matches. But it's not like it's a taboo in any way,” he added. “The initiative of the UAE Pro League is to get more families. But it's a very welcoming environment.”
This month, the UAE Football Association received the AFC President Recognition Awards for Grassroots Football – Gold Category. Team representatives can frequently be seen before matches handing out free tickets, with many going to young fans.
“I hope one day we could get more expats involved, and wanting to go to the games live, and being part of the atmosphere,” Mr Luke said.
The UK citizen, who is a physical education teacher, sees how the children have a love for their local teams. "There's so much love for the game here. I'm there every day, watching the kids. They don't talk about the Premier League teams or La Liga," he added. "They've got a love of Barcelona or Madrid, the big teams, but they want to talk about the UAE Pro League.”
