Being hailed as “the next big thing”, at the impressionable age of 17, can be more a curse than compliment, especially if it is accompanied by the tag “genius”.
Thankfully, Khalfan Mubarak is coping well.
Only 19, the Al Jazira striker is not a celebrity like Omar or Amer Abdulrahman were at that age, but his potential is undeniable and it will not be long before the diminutive playmaker with the distinctive goatee and flailing arms becomes a household name in the country.
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Mubarak is definitely on his way if his performance over the past week in Kalba for the UAE Olympic team is any indication.
He has not been spectacular, but he has certainly been consistent leading the Emirati midfield in the qualifiers for next year’s Asian Under-23 Championships in Qatar.
Industrious and calm, he has helped them qualify for the tournament with an all-win record.
The son of a police officer and former Ajman footballer Mubarak Khalfan, he will be excited about the bigger stage that awaits next January.
It is the sort of stage Mubarak would have been dreaming of when he first walked into the Ajman youth academy at the age of six.
At the age of 12, he moved to Al Ahli to further his footballing education and, five years later, he was on his way to a new club after signing a three-year deal with Al Jazira. The “Pride of Abu Dhabi” reportedly paid €375,000 (Dh1.5 million) to Ahli for the youngster.
The deal came a few months after the then Red Knights coach Quique Sanchez Flores had described Mubarak as a potential star following a sparkling first-team debut in a cup match.
“From the moment I saw him, I knew he had the talent of a football genius,” said Sanchez Flores, a former Valencia, Benfica and Atletico Madrid coach. “He has got great skills and speed for his age and I expect him to play a significant role in UAE football in the future.
“Khalfan is much like ‘Amoori’ [UAE and Al Ain star Omar Abdulrahman] in the way he plays. Both of them are very skilful, have speed and are very clever with the ball. Both enjoy their football. But Khalfan is still very young and inexperienced.”
Sanchez Flores had predicted Mubarak would start coming into his own within two years if he kept working on his fitness and it seems he has heeded the advice.
Mubarak has blossomed into a crucial player for the UAE Olympic team and has also been getting picked for his club’s first team.
His confidence looks to be at a high. Hopefully, it reaches its peak in January, because the continental championships could be the perfect stage for his burgeoning reputation to take off.
arizvi@thenational.ae
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