JEDDAH, 14 October 2005 — Algeria’s Saddouk El Haj has emerged the Arab SoccaStar after a nail-biting finale, beating seven other finalists from around the Arab world for the coveted title. The victory caps months of speculation about the most talented young player who will ultimately win the dream opportunity to play for Newcastle United.
As millions of viewers across the Arab world tuned in to an engaging final episode of SoccaStars, the sports-based reality show broadcast on Future TV and numerous terrestrial channels, Newcastle sprang another surprise on the unsuspecting contestants by announcing that not one, but three of them will win the opportunity to play for the premiere European club.
At the same time, Peter Beardsley of Newcastle United and David Kirkley of the New York Football Club (NYFC), who had specially flown in for the final week of SoccaStars, announced to a bewildered audience that Saddouk Al Haj (Algeria), Abdul Rahman Bukhari (Saudi Arabia) and Mohammed Gabbas (Egypt) had been chosen to join Newcastle United.
Welcoming the three players to Newcastle United, Beardsley admitted that it had become difficult for the judges to single out one player for the club due to the exceptional caliber of playing styles they displayed. “We are impressed by the playing standards among the three contestants and we have no doubt that they will contribute immensely to Newcastle,î he pointed out. “At the same time, we also hope their spectacular performance will prompt other youngsters in the Arab world to hone their soccer skills and emulate their success.” For Saddouk Al Haj, the victory was sweet, coming on the eve of his 18th birthday. The beaming Algerian player received the honor in the presence of his family members, who, along with the families of other finalists, had been specially flown into Cairo to witness the final episode.
While the show presenters and the other contestants joined in the chorus of applause for the young player, program sponsor Abdul Lateef Jameel group, distributors of Toyota in KSA, presented the winner with a 2006 Toyota XA car.
“The SoccaStar title is the perfect birthday gift for me,” Al Haj explained. “For months, I have practiced in right earnest to bring this unique honor to my country and make them proud of me. It was a tough task to beat the other contestants, because each one has been impressive, but I remained focused on my mission and achieve my dream to play for Newcastle.”
An ardent fan of French footballer Zineddine Zidane, Al Haj has been consistent in his performance throughout his stay at the SoccaStars Academy. The young player was one of the four contestants chosen from football-crazy Algeria to remain at the Academy and compete for the SoccaStars honors.
Saudi player Abdul Rahman Bukhari and Egypt’s Mohammed Gabbas also shone during the finale. The two could not believe their luck when the Newcastle and NYFC officials announced their names for the club. Bukhari, who is the youngest among all the contestants, and Gabbas, who performed well in the friendly matches, acknowledged the applause that greeted their selection.
Bahrain’s Mahmoud Abdel Rahman was awarded a “Golden Boot” by Adidas for the best overall player, as per the panel’s choice.
