The highest salary I received was 5,000 dirhams… and we did not play for money

In a Ramadan atmosphere that reflects the spirit of the holy month, Al-Nasr star and former national team player, Hassan Thabet Suhail, received Emirates Al-Youm at his home in the Al Barsha area, to open his heart and memory, and tell stories that made his name and reputation, from the fastest goal in the history of the Confederations Cup, to Maradona’s shoes that he keeps as a rare piece, and the highest salary he received in football stadiums (5,000 dirhams), passing through his hobby of acquiring classic cars, all the way to his vision. The national team, the crisis of the citizen player, and the history of his club, Al-Ameed, which deserves to return to the tournament platforms.

The 39-second goal

Suhail recalled the most beautiful moment in his history, when he scored the fastest goal in the 1997 Confederations Cup against the South African national team, only 39 seconds after the starting whistle.

He told Emirates Today: “The strangest thing is that I did not obtain the Guinness certificate during the tournament itself… After two tournaments, Neymar scored a goal a minute later, and it was announced that he had the fastest goal, but when they returned to the archives they discovered that my goal was the fastest ever, and only then did I obtain the official certificate.”

Maradona shoes “treasure”

His possessions did not stop at local memories. Suhail owns a unique historical piece, represented by the shoes of the legend Diego Maradona from the company “Puma”.

Hassan Suhail said: “I love rare and precious things. The shoe I own is the same one that Maradona appeared in in his famous shot with Napoli, when he showed off his skills to the tunes of music. That shot created a global sensation, and Puma made huge profits because of it. For me…this is a treasure, and indicates that these collectibles reflect part of his deep connection to the history of world football.”

Classic car hobby

Suhail revealed another side of his personality, as he considers himself a “professional amateur” who collects classic cars.

He said, “I love rare cars, especially from BMW, and I see that old cars carry an unrepeatable spirit. I like to mix the past and the present, and this brings me close to my memories and the beautiful time.” He added: “This hobby gives me a quiet space away from the noise of work and the playground.”

Ramadan.. the spirit of the family

Regarding his life during Ramadan, Suhail confirms that the holy month represents a special state for him: “I come back from work, pray the afternoon prayer, read the Qur’an, then sit with the family at the breakfast table, and after Tarawih, if the opportunity arises, we, the former Al-Nasr players, visit each other.”

He continued: “We are a permanent group: Hassan Thabet Suhail, Ali Malallah, Mubarak Malallah, Hashem Obaid, Salah Jalal, Saleh Salem… and the Al-Nasr family is not divided. We allocate one day a week to visit the Nassar pole, Matar Al-Tayer, and many Nassar poles.” Suhail said: “Ramadan rearranges the soul and brings together hearts separated by the concerns of life.”

National team coach

Regarding the national team, Suhail gave a frank opinion, saying: “With all due respect to the Romanian coach Olario Cosmin…but he is a club coach. The national team needs a great national team coach. This is a national project, not a one-season team. There is a club coach and there is a national team coach… and the difference is big.”

He added: “The national team also needs a technical leader who knows how to create a stable identity, and not someone who manages a team for one or two matches.”

Highest salary

Hassan Suhail opens the notebooks of the past to return to his beginnings and says: “My first salary was 700 dirhams, then 1000, then 1200, and the highest salary I received was only 5000 dirhams. Football was a passion, we did not play for money.” He reveals that the largest reward he received was 50 thousand dirhams, the reward for winning the President’s Cup… and it was a huge sum at the time.

The disappearance of the citizen player…a real crisis

Hassan Suhail touched on the file of resident players by saying: “We are facing a real crisis.. The citizen player has begun to disappear. Even in the Sunni stages, we find most of the players are residents or foreigners. The problem is no longer only on the field.. Even the administrators have become foreigners, the CEO and the sports director. This is a dangerous indicator of the disappearance of the citizen administrator as well.” He warned that the continuation of this approach may create a large gap in the identity of Emirati football.

I don’t see victory…and I’m sad about the current situation

Regarding his parent club, Al-Nasr, Hassan Suhail said: “I do not watch Al-Nasr currently.. I do not like to see the club in this way. Al-Nasr needs a strong stance from the members of the Honorary Council. The club is great in its history and fans, and deserves to return to the right path,” noting that “the absence of administrative and technical stability is a major reason for the decline in results.”

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Taliani is the best player in the history of the Emirates

Hassan Suhail spoke about the best stars, saying: “Mubarak Ghanem is the best defender in the history of the Emirates, and Adnan Al-Taliani is the best player in the history of Emirati football. Adnan is not only a striker…but a dangerous player capable of scoring from anywhere on the field.”

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A clear imprint with the national team

Hassan Suhail represented the national team at the international level in the most important tournaments of the 1990s, most notably the Confederations Cup in Saudi Arabia, where he scored his historic goal against South Africa. He also reached the final of the Asian Championship with the national team in 1996, and participated in the 1998 World Cup qualifiers, in addition to his participation in the 1999 Arab Tournament and the 2000 Asian Cup qualifiers, leaving a clear imprint on the national team’s career.

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Player history…and a golden career

Hassan Thabet Suhail began his career in Al-Nasr, and became one of its most prominent defenders in the eighties and nineties, contributing to winning the joint league in 1985 and the league in 1985-1986, in addition to three President’s Cup titles, and two Super Cup titles, and he participated with the team in prominent Gulf and Arab tournaments, which made him one of the pillars of the captain’s golden generation.

Hassan Suhail:

• Ramadan rearranges the soul and brings together hearts separated by life’s concerns.

• I keep Maradona’s famous shoe from the time of Naples… because it is a priceless piece.