19-year-old Ottawa soccer star off to Dubai for trial with Alqabila F.C.

As a love for soccer grows in Ottawa and across the country, a young player is now getting a chance to prove himself in Dubai at a professional club with the help of a local soccer league.

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On any given day, the soccer pitch is where you'll find Abdulazeez Al-Hammood.

"I’ve been playing soccer since I was eight-years-old," said Al-Hammood, who moved to Ottawa from Iraq with his family in 2018.

The 19-year-old dreams of playing with the pros and he’s one step closer to achieving that goal, after recently competing in a Super League Ottawa tournament.

"I was waiting for this opportunity for my whole life and I've been working hard for it," he said. "It was a great feeling, even with my family watching me."

Al-Hammood was selected out of 150 players to fly to Dubai for a professional try out with Alqabila F.C., a soccer club founded by Ottawa professional soccer player Soheil Varaham.

Varaham wanted to give back to his community by giving one player the chance to play professionally on his team through Super League Ottawa.

"We will pay for his flight, pay for his accommodation," said Super League CEO Aziz Haddad. "That's what Super League is here for."

Haddad says it was Al-Hammood's speed, skill and ability to perform well under pressure that stood out at the tournament, even up against Canadian soccer star Jonathan David and other soccer pros who also took part in the tournament.

"Soccer is a sport that doesn't need any language, anyone can understand it, anyone can play it," Haddad said.

"We just need to do our best to promote it as much as possible, to give opportunities and keep growing the sport. It's a worldwide sport. Every country has tons of people. They just need to be noticed. They just need some attention.”

Al-Hammood flies to Dubai in August. His focus now is to be selected as one of the 23 players for Alqabila F.C.

"I'm so ready for it. I've been waiting for this moment," he said. "I have to go there and show myself and hopefully the manager likes me."