Emirati Pro Footballer Nouf Al Anzi Plays for More Than Herself

In the story of pro footballer Nouf Al Anzi’s career, the pitch is half place of play and half terrain of belonging. Whether in Cairo or Madrid, in club colours or the UAE’s white kit, it's clear that she carries something bigger than a footballer’s ambitions, and plays with the awareness that her steps were once uncharted.

Born and raised in Abu Dhabi in 1996, Nouf Faleh Al Anzi grew up chasing a ball through her childhood home. She was one of five siblings in a football-loving family, long before women’s teams existed in her country. A bright scholar, she earned a degree in Information Security Engineering and later completed a master’s in Sports Management, all while collecting credentials as a coach, referee, and nutrition specialist.

Al Anzi was 16 when she joined Al Wahda Club, becoming part of the UAE’s first generation of women to break into organised football. “When I joined Al Wahda, I knew it was a big step,” Al Anzi tells SceneNowUAE. “It felt like the beginning of many more doors opening.” It was also, as she describes it now, one of the most defining moments in her life, grounding her sense of purpose.

“I always knew I wanted to play football,” Al Anzi says. “It was how I expressed myself, especially growing up as a shy kid.” The support of her family was constant and essential. “I wouldn’t be here without them. They were the first to believe in my dream.”

Al Anzi's s ambitions were never just about personal success. From the beginning, she carried a larger idea of what her journey might represent. When she joined Wadi Degla in Egypt in 2017, she became the first Emirati woman to play professionally abroad. The experience was both a challenge and an affirmation. “We won the league that season, and I even scored the fastest goal,” she says. “But more than that, it was about proving to myself, and to others, that we belong on that stage.”

In Egypt, the game was faster and more physical. In Spain, where she later joined Leganés, it was more technical, focusing instead on positions. But for Nouf, these transitions meant learning to adapt to different styles, and how to carry her identity across continents. “I always played with the UAE on my back,” she says. “Wherever I went, I wanted to represent not just myself, but where I come from.”

This sense of representation runs deeper than the badge on a jersey. It shows up in the way she speaks about wearing the national team shirt. “It’s a dream come true every time,” Al Anzi says. “That badge, that shirt, it means everything.” Even now, after playing in two foreign leagues and completing a master’s degree under the Real Madrid School in Spain, it’s this image that carries the most emotional weight: a young woman from Abu Dhabi, standing for the anthem, surrounded by teammates, wearing the colours of her country.

That belief in representation is also what drives her off the pitch. While playing professionally in Spain, she pursued an MBA in Sports Management, because, as she says, “education and sport feed into each other.” She’s also certified in coaching, nutrition, refereeing and futsal, all undertaken while she was still playing. “I want to be part of the sport in every way I can, especially back home.”

It’s that idea of back home that defines her more than any stat line. The pandemic, she says, deepened her appreciation for the sport and for the people around her (as well as led her to newfound hobbies, like making chocolate dessert). “That time made me realise how much I missed the game, and the team environment, and just being part of something bigger. It reminded me why I started."

Al Anzi is also aware of the weight she carries as a role model. When asked what she would tell young girls in the UAE who dream of going pro, she doesn’t hesitate. “Your dreams are never too big or too far,” she says. “But while you’re fighting for them, you have to live by the values you set for yourself. That’s how you get there. And never forget the people who supported you.”

When Al Anzi speaks of her coach at Al Wahda - the one who taught her how to “think like a professional” - there’s a sense that she’s already passing that wisdom down. She may not be done playing, but she’s already laying the foundations for others to follow. “Giving back has always been important,” she says. “That’s why I keep learning and keep growing, so I can help others one day, not just myself.”