🌎 The Club World Cup guide to...Al Ain | OneFootball

Our guide to all 32 clubs participating at the FIFA Club World Cup continues.

Today we're looking at....Al Ain.

How did they qualify for the Club World Cup?

📸 Neville Hopwood - 2024 Getty Images

Far and away the most successful club in United Arab Emirates football history, the Abu Dhabi side qualified for the tournament by winning the 2023-24 AFC Champions League.

In the final, they overcame a first leg deficit to beat Japanese side Yokohoma F. Marinos 6-3 on aggregate to claim their second continental crown.

History at the Club World Cup

Al Ain have only once previously participated in the Club World Cup but it was one that created UAE history.

Hosting the tournament, they embarked on an impressive run, battling back from three goals down to defeat New Zealand's now-defunct Team Wellington on penalties in the first round before making light work of Tunisia's Espérance de Tunis.

The semi-final saw them famously beat Argentine giants River Plate in another penalty shootout after a 2-2 draw.  A 4-1 defeat to three-in-a-row UEFA Champions League winners Real Madrid followed but they remain the only UAE club to ever make the Club World Cup final.

How did they perform in the 2024/25 season?

It has been a hugely disappointing season for the record 14-time UAE league champions both at home and abroad.

Their defence of the Champions League could not have gone worse as they crashed out before the knockouts having failed to win any of their eight games.

There was also a quarter-final exit from the UAE League Cup, while fourth place in the league falls well short of expectations.

Who is the coach?

📸 Maja Hitij - 2017 Getty Images

Vladimir Ivić is the current Head Coach of Al Ain, having taken charge in February amidst a chaotic season for the club that has seen two managerial changes.

The Serbian, who has previously enjoyed success with PAOK and Maccabi Tel Aviev as well as a typically brie spell at Watford, replaced Leonaro Jardim in the hot seat, who lasted just two months.

Jardim had taken over from Argentine legend Hernán Crespo, who is responsible for Al Ain's place in the competition, having masterminded the Champions League win.

Ivić has won just five of 12 games in charge of the club ahead of the competition.

Who is their star player?

📸 Francois Nel - 2024 Getty Images

Soufiane Rahimi is the pick of the bunch for Al Ain, having scored 60 goals in 130 appearances for the club since his 2021 move from Moroccan side Roja Casablanca.

More than any other player, the forward is responsible for his side's Champions League win and place in the Club World Cup, having scooped up both Most Valuable Player and Top Scorer awards en route to success.

He scored a hat-trick in the first leg of the semi-final against Saudi giants Al Hilal and their big-name European signings, before scoring twice in the second leg of the final with Yokohoma.

Expected performance at the Club World Cup

Given they have been drawn into Group G alongside Manchester City and Juventus, as well as the lesser-known Wydad AC, an exit before the knockout stages feels likely. Anything more should be considered a big success.

📸 Francois Nel - 2025 Getty Images