Founded in 2020 by Michel Salgado and H.E. Faisal Belhoul, the club opens a new chapter for youth football in the UAE on Fursan Hispania Day

Dubai: Fursan Hispania FC today celebrated Fursan Hispania Day by welcoming Real Madrid legends Roberto Carlos and Fernando Hierro to the club. The two former internationals join co-founders Michel Salgado and H.E. Faisal Belhoul in the next stage of the club's development.

Fursan Hispania FC represents the natural evolution of Spanish Soccer Schools, the pioneering football development project established by Real Madrid legend Michel Salgado in Dubai. Built on years of experience, a proven Spanish football methodology and a strong commitment to nurturing young talent, Spanish Soccer Schools laid the foundations for what would become a fully integrated football institution.

In 2020, Michel Salgado and Emirati entrepreneur and investor H.E. Faisal Belhoul took this vision to the next level by establishing Fursan Hispania FC, transforming an established football academy into a competitive club with a clear pathway from grassroots development to professional football. Within four months, the club had entered the UAE Second Division. It played its first league match in December 2020.

This evolution was not simply about creating a football club, but about building on an existing legacy of excellence in youth development, combining the expertise of Spanish football with the ambition to create meaningful opportunities for young players in the UAE and beyond.

In 2021-22, its second season, the first team won the UAE Second Division title and promotion to the First Division. Since then, the club has developed hundreds of young players, helped graduates move into professional football environments in Europe and the region, and built international partnerships, including one with Spanish club Celta Vigo.

In 2025, the club merged its academy and first-team operations into one integrated institution. Young players now follow one methodology and one pathway from their first training session to senior football.

Roberto Carlos won the FIFA World Cup with Brazil in 2002. Fernando Hierro spent 14 seasons at Real Madrid and captained Spain. Both won the UEFA Champions League alongside Salgado in 2000 and 2002. They will support the club's methodology, coach education, international connections and long-term strategy.

Faisal Belhoul, Co-Founder of Fursan Hispania FC, said: "When Michel and I founded Fursan Hispania in 2020, we wanted young people in Dubai and across the UAE to have a real chance to play professional football. Six years on, we have won a league title, our players are moving abroad, and our academy and club work as one. Welcoming Roberto Carlos and Fernando Hierro tells every young player here that we take their ambitions seriously. We are proud to support the next generation as part of Dubai's sporting journey." He added: "Fursan began as a dream. We thank Dubai's leadership, whose vision for sport has made that dream a reality, and the Dubai Sports Council for its significant support for clubs, academies and the wider sports industry."

Michel Salgado, Co-Founder of Fursan Hispania FC, said: "I started coaching children in Dubai because I saw the talent and the commitment of the families here. The academy proved the talent existed. The club Faisal and I built together gave those players somewhere to go next. With two of my former teammates joining us, our players, coaches and families gain experience that few clubs anywhere can offer."

Roberto Carlos said: "Dubai has become one of the world's great sporting cities, and the talent here is real. I am happy to join my friends Michel and Fernando and to help these young players build the mentality it takes to win."

Fernando Hierro said: "Fursan Hispania develops the whole player: technique, character and education. That approach matches what I believe in. I look forward to working with the coaches and families to help more young players from the UAE reach the highest level."

The club marked Fursan Hispania Day at [venue TBC] in Dubai with players, families, coaches and partners.

Additional strategic and sporting partnerships

Kamca Group - Strategic Shareholder

The club's long-term vision is further strengthened by the involvement of Kamca Group as a strategic shareholder. An international conglomerate with a strong presence in the oil and gas sector, Kamca Group also operates across construction and infrastructure development, agriculture, port operations and other strategic industries. Its diversified business expertise, international reach and long-term investment perspective bring an additional dimension to Fursan Hispania FC, reinforcing the club's ambition to build a sustainable football institution that combines sporting excellence, professional management and international growth. This partnership reflects a shared commitment to creating lasting value, developing future generations and establishing Fursan Hispania as a leading football development platform in the region.

RC Celta de Vigo - Sporting Collaboration

At the heart of Fursan Hispania FC's sporting development is its collaboration with RC Celta de Vigo, one of Spain's established professional football clubs, recognised for its commitment to youth development and player progression. This relationship strengthens Fursan Hispania's Spanish football identity, providing an important connection to the European football environment and supporting the club's ambition to develop young talent through a structured, internationally oriented pathway. Together with the experience and leadership of Michel Salgado, Roberto Carlos and Fernando Hierro, this collaboration forms an important part of the club's wider sporting vision: connecting grassroots football in the UAE with the standards, methodology and opportunities of European professional football.