14 Facts About Mahdi Ali

Mahdi Ali Hassan Redha was born on 20 April 1965 and is a former Emirati footballer and current coach.

From 2010 until 2012, Ali led the United Arab Emirates Olympic team to qualify for the 2012 Summer Olympics in London.

Mahdi Ali led the UAE to their second Arabian Gulf Cup title in 2013 and led them to a third-place finish at the 2015 AFC Asian Cup.

Mahdi Ali took up football with Al Ahli's youth sides at age six, and he progressed steadily through their system.

Mahdi Ali made his first-team debut at the age of 16 in 1983.

Mahdi Ali won two UAE President's Cup medallions and played a crucial role in the 1988 final against Al Shabab.

Mahdi Ali returned to football after that and has previously coached several United Arab Emirates national football teams at various age-levels.

Mahdi Ali has managed some top-level clubs in his native country.

Mahdi Ali spent a year in London with his family in 2000 and earned a coaching certificate, and later the football association sent him to Germany for his A level certificate.

Mahdi Ali has had unprecedented success in leading what has been dubbed the "golden generation" of Emirati players, beginning with the AFC U-19 Championship in 2008 and continuing with a final-eight performance in the FIFA U-20 World Cup in 2009 and a U23 Gulf Cup championship and a silver medal in the Asian Games.

Baniyas were second in the league when Mahdi Ali took charge and he maintained that position behind Al Jazira.

Mahdi Ali became the fourth non-foreign manager of the national team after replacing Abdullah Masfar.

Mahdi Ali led United Arab Emirates to the 2015 AFC Asian Cup where they defeated Qatar and Bahrain and lost to Iran and faced Japan in quarter-final and won the match in penalties and reached to semi-finals.

Mahdi Ali is the first Emirati coach of national team in an AFC Asian Cup tournament.