Abu Dhabi Classico

Rivalry between Al Ain and Al Wahda

Abu Dhabi ClassicoOther names| Al Classico

|

Location| Abu Dhabi
Teams| Al Ain
Al Wahda
First meeting| 8 November 1985[1]
Football League
Al Ain 3–3 Al Wahda
Latest meeting| 27 February 2025
Pro League
Al Wahda 2-1 Al Ain
Stadiums| Hazza bin Zayed (Al Ain)
Al Nahyan (Al Wahda)
Statistics
Meetings total| 110 (official matches)
Most wins| Al Ain (52)
Top scorer| Majid Al Owais (11)

The Abu Dhabi Classico or the Al Classico is the rivalry between Al Ain and Al Wahda. The rivalry was first contested around the mid 1980s and has been the biggest derby in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. Al Ain is from the city of Al Ain in the Eastern region of the emirate while Al Wahda is from the city of Abu Dhabi in the Central region. Both clubs are among the most successful teams in the UAE with Al Ain having 36 honours while Al Wahda has 16 honours.

## History

[edit]

The rivalry between the two teams stems from the fact that they are the most successful clubs in Emirate of Abu Dhabi. Al Ain established themselves as a top club in Abu Dhabi by winning two Abu Dhabi championships in 1974 and 1975 and later a top club in the country when they won the League title in 1977. Al Wahda's success was limited during that time. The rivalry sparked when the two clubs started exchanging titles around 1997 to 2005, Al Wahda won three titles while Al Ain won five, three out of those eight seasons had both clubs finish at the top two. The 2004–05 season was one the most significant time as Al Wahda won the league title while Al Ain won the president's cup with a 3–1 score line at extra time. Even though Al Ain would win five more league titles while Al Wahda only won once, matches between the two continue to spark major controversies and the two clubs rarely sign players and managers that have represented the other club to this day. During a fixture between the two in March 2022, fighting broke out between fans of both clubs after Al Ain won 1–0. Abu Dhabi police had to arrest several football fans during the incident.[2][3][4]

### Background

[edit]

Al Ain being from the Eastern region while Al Wahda hails from the city of Abu Dhabi, the two clubs compete to the claim the title of Abu Dhabi's best club. Many argue that this rivalry is the most significant in the country as the two clubs had the longest duel of battling titles from the late 90s to early 2000s, however with teams like Shabab Al Ahli and Al Jazira gaining momentum in recent years, both clubs has shifted their focus away from traditionally competing against each other.[5]

## Statistics

[edit]

### Overview

[edit]

As of 20 May 2024[6]
Matches

Al Ain wins  | Draws  |  Al Wahda wins  |  Al Ain  | Goals  |  Al Wahda
110 | 52 | 22 | 36 | 171 | 306 | 135

### Head to head

[edit]

The below list is since the professional era started in 2008–09.[7]

| Matches  | Wins  | Draws  | Goals  |  | Home wins  | Home draws  | Away wins  | Other venue wins

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

AIN  | WAH  | AIN  | WAH  | AIN  | WAH  | AIN  | WAH  | AIN  | WAH  | AIN  | WAH
Pro League | 31 | 17 | 8 | 6 | 48 | 26 | 10 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 7 | 4 |  |
President's Cup | 1 | 1 |  |  | 1 |  | 1 |  |  |  |  |  |  |
League Cup | 14 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 15 | 12 | 1 |  | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1
Super Cup | 1 |  |  | 1 | 3 | 3 |  |  |  |  |  |  | 1 |
All competitions  | 47 | 23 | 13 | 11 | 67 | 41 | 12 | 4 | 4 | 7 | 10 | 7 | 2 | 1
Exhibition games | 2 | 2 |  |  | 6 | 2 | 1 |  |  |  |  |  | 1 |
All matches  | 49 | 25 | 13 | 11 | 73 | 43 | 13 | 4 | 4 | 7 | 10 | 7 | 3 | 1

## Records

[edit]

### Results

[edit]

#### Biggest wins

[edit]

Result  | Date  | Competition

|
|

Al Wahda 5–1 Al Ain  | 1986  | Pro League
Al Ain 4–1 Al Wahda  | 19 January 1998
Al Ain 5–3 Al Wahda  | 30 October 2002
Al Wahda 4–1 Al Ain  | 14 December 2005
Al Wahda 4–3 Al Ain  | 16 May 2008
Al Ain 4–2 Al Wahda  | 25 April 2009
Al Ain 4–0 Al Wahda  | 10 December 2014
Al Ain 6–2 Al Wahda  | 1 March 2018
Al Wahda 0–4 Al Ain | 12 March 2021
Al Wahda 0–3 Al Ain | 10 March 2023
Al Ain 4–1 Al Wahda  | 2 June 1994  | President's Cup
Al Wahda 1–4 Al Ain | 2 March 2012  | League Cup
Al Ain 3–0 Al Wahda  | 9 September 2013
Al Wahda 5–1 Al Ain  | 16 February 2018
Al Wahda 4–1 Al Ain  | 1986  | Federation Cup
Al Wahda 4–0 Al Ain  | 11 November 1999
Al Wahda 1–4 Al Ain | 27 February 2006

#### Most goals in a match

[edit]

Goals | Result | Date | Competition

|
|
|

8  | Al Ain 5–3 Al Wahda  | 30 October 2002  | Pro League
Al Ain 6–2 Al Wahda  | 1 March 2018
7  | Al Wahda 4–3 Al Ain  | 16 May 2008

### Players

[edit]

As of 20 May 2024

#### Goalscoring

[edit]

##### Top goalscorers

[edit]

* Does not include friendly matches.[8]

Rank | Player | Club | Goals

|
|
|

1  |  Majid Al Owais  | Al Ain  | 11
2  |  Sebastián Tagliabúe | Al Wahda  | 8
3  |  Kodjo Laba | Al Ain  | 5
Ismail Matar | Al Wahda
Mohamed Al-Shehhi | Al Wahda
Mohammed Salem  | Al Wahda
7  |  Soufiane Rahimi | Al Ain  | 4
Marcus Berg | Al Ain
Asamoah Gyan | Al Ain
Sultan Rashed | Al Ain
Abdulrahim Jumaa | Al Wahda
Abdulsalam Jumaa | Al Wahda
Subait Khater | Al Ain
13  |  Caio Lucas | Al Ain  | 3
Balázs Dzsudzsák | Al Wahda
Ibrahim Diaky | Al Ain
Haider Alo Ali | Al Wahda
Slaviša Mitrović | Al Wahda
Lamin Conteh | Al Wahda
Gharib Harib  | Al Ain
Mohammad Omar | Al Ain
Arthur Moses | Al Ain
Fahed Masoud | Al Wahda
Salem Johar  | Al Ain
Ahmed Abdullah | Al Ain

#### Hat-tricks

[edit]

only 2 players have scored a hat-trick in Classico matches.[8][9]

No.  | Player | For | Total

|
|
|

1  |  Salem Johar  | Al Ain  | 1
2  |  Ahmed Abdullah | Al Ain  | 1

#### Double

[edit]

No.[1] | Player | For | Total

|
|
|

1  |  Majid Al Owais  | Al Ain  | 3
1  |  Alecsandro | Al Wahda  | 1
1  |  Soufiane Alloudi | Al Ain  | 1
1  |  André Dias | Al Ain  | 1
1  |  Matar Coly | Al Wahda  | 1
1  |  Ali Msarri | Al Ain  | 1
1  |  Mohammad Omar | Al Ain  | 1
1  |  Arthur Moses | Al Ain  | 1
1  |  Mohammed Salem  | Al Wahda  | 1
1  |  Saeed Ashour  | Al Ain  | 1
1  |  Matar Al Sahbani  | Al Ain  | 1

Notes

* Not including friendly matches.

## General performances

[edit]

### General information

[edit]

| Al Ain  | Al Wahda

|
|

Club name after establishment  | Al Ain Sports Club | Al Wahda Sports and Cultural Club
Founding date  | 1 August 1968  | 3 June 1984
Stadium  | Hazza bin Zayed | Al Nahyan
Capacity  | 25,053  | 15,894
Number of seasons in Pro League (never been relegated) | 47  | 37
Most goals scored in a season in the Pro League  | 74 (2012–13) | 75 (2004–05)
Most points in a season in the Pro League  | 65 (2021–22) | 65 (1998–99)
Number of the Double wins
(Pro League and President's Cup) | 1[note 1] | 0
Number of the Double wins
(Pro League and AFC Champions League) | 1[note 2] | 0
Number of the Treble wins
(Pro League, President's Cup and AFC Champions League) | 0[note 3] | 0

### Honours

[edit]

* Numbers with this background indicate the record in the competition.

Al Ain  | Competition  | Al Wahda

|
|

Domestic
14 | Pro League | 4
7 | President's Cup | 2
5 | Federation Cup (defunct) / League Cup | 6
5 | Super Cup | 4
Minor
2 | Abu Dhabi Championship (defunct) | —
1 | Joint League (defunct) | —
34 | Total | 16
Regional
1 | GCC Champions League | —
1 | Emirati-Moroccan Super Cup | —
2 | Total | 0
Asia
2 | AFC Champions League | —
2 | Total | 0
38 | Grand total | 16

## Shared players and managers

[edit]

### Players

[edit]

The number of players that have played for both clubs are limited with the exception of a few local veterans. Only four foreign players have played for both clubs so far.

Saeed Al-Kathiri is the only player to score for and against both clubs.

#### Al Ain, then Al Wahda

[edit]

Player  | Al Ain career  | Al Wahda career

|
|

Span  | League
apps  | League
goals  | Span  | League
apps  | League
goals
Mutaz Abdulla | 1998–2009  | 212  | 0  | 2009–2012  | 24  | 0
Fares Jumaa | 2007–2015  | 77  | 6  | 2020–present | 56  | 3
Jorge Valdivia | 2008–2010  | 25  | 12  | 2015–2017  | 34  | 8
Mohammed Al-Dhahri | 2010–2015  | 18  | 0  | 2015–2018  | 28  | 0
Salem Sultan | 2013  | 0  | 0  | 2013–2019  | 55  | 1
Rashed Muhayer | 2013–2019  | 31  | 0  | 2020–2022  | 14  | 0
Lee Myung-joo | 2014–2017  | 70  | 5  | 2020–2022  | 37  | 3
Cristian Guanca | 2021–2022  | 25  | 8  | 2023–2024  | 9  | 2

#### Al Wahda, then Al Ain

[edit]

Player  | Al Wahda career  | Al Ain career

|
|

Span  | League
apps  | League
goals  | Span  | League
apps  | League
goals
Yasser Matar | 2006–2009  | 5  | 1  | 2016  | 5  | 0
Saeed Al-Kathiri | 2006–2014  | 70  | 13  | 2015–2017  | 44  | 9
Yaqoub Al Hosani | 2009–2012  | 35  | 0  | 2012–2013  | 12  | 0
Balázs Dzsudzsák | 2016–2018  | 43  | 13  | 2020  | 4  | 1

### Managers

[edit]

So far, Tite is the only coach to have represented both clubs, briefly managing Al Ain in 2007 and Al Wahda in 2010, his time at both clubs was cut short, getting sacked quickly at Al Ain due to disagreements with the club while at Al Wahda, he would sign for his former club Corinthians.

Manager  | Al Ain career  | Al Wahda career

|
|

Span  | G  | W  | D  | L  | Win %  | Span  | G  | W  | D  | L  | Win %
Tite | 2007 | 9  | 4  | 2  | 3  | 44.44  | 2010 | 5  | 2  | 3  | 0  | 40

## Notes

[edit]

1. ^ 2017–18
2. ^ 2002–03
3. ^ In 2002–03 Al Ain won the (Pro League, Super Cup and AFC Champions League), but Supercups don't count for treble

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b "الوحدة والعين في الـكلاسيكو 50 الليلة". aletihad.ae. 29 November 2009. Retrieved 2024-06-18.
2. ^ Salam Al Amir (13 March 2022). "Arrests ordered after fighting breaks out during Al Ain and Al Wahda game". The National. Retrieved 13 March 2022.
3. ^ "الوحدة يقهر العين بثلاثية في كلاسيكو أبوظبي". 15 October 2022. Retrieved 15 October 2022.
4. ^ "العين و الوحدة الكلاسيكو الإماراتي". Al Ittihad. Retrieved 15 April 2005.
5. ^ "كلاسيكو الإمارات". العربية. Al Arabiya. Retrieved 13 October 2022.
6. ^ "H2H Comparison - Al Ain vs. Al Wahda - Teams". Soccerway. Retrieved 2022-10-15.
7. ^ "Head to Head stats". UAEProLeague.ae. Retrieved 2024-06-15.
8. ^ a b "الكلاسيكو 45 بين العين والوحدة الليلة". aletihad.ae. 14 April 2007. Retrieved 2024-06-17.
9. ^ "hatrick". FootballUAE.net. Archived from the original on 27 June 2002. Retrieved 17 June 2024.

* v
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Al Ain Sports and Cultural Club

* History
* Academy
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* Current season

Home stadiums|

* Hazza bin Zayed Stadium (2014–present)
* Tahnoun bin Mohammed Stadium (1987–2014)
* Khalifa bin Zayed Stadium (1971–1987)

Training ground|

* Tahnoun bin Mohammed Stadium
* Khalifa bin Zayed Stadium

Rivalries|

* Al Wahda
* Shabab Al Ahli

Other sports|

* Basketball
* Handball
* Volleyball
* Athletics
* Swimming
* Jiu-Jitsu (Men's)
* Jiu-Jitsu (Women's)
* Superleague Formula (defunct)

* Category
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Al Wahda Football Club

* History
* Presidents
* Seasons
* International
* Statistics
* Current season

Home stadiums|

* Al Nahyan Stadium

Rivalries|

* Al Jazira
* Al Ain

* v
* t
* e

Emirati football derbies

* Abu Dhabi City derby
* Abu Dhabi Classico
* Al Ain–Shabab Al Ahli rivlary
* Al Wasl–Sharjah rivlary
* Bur Dubai derby
* East Coast derby

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