Rising star Ghanim eyes UAE League title

Following the footsteps of his father, the former UAE national team star and referee Omar Mohammed Zubair Al Marzooqi, Ghanim Omar Mohammed Al Marzooqi is swiftly carving a name for himself as one of the UAE’s most promising handball prodigies.

- Amir Naqvi, Sports Editor

Ghanim is the second son of Dubai Police Major Omar Al Zubair, whose deep-rooted love for sport clearly left its mark on his children.

Both Ghanim and his elder brother chose the same path, embracing the beautiful game. While his older brother eventually stepped away from the court due to the demands of his challenging job, Ghanim remained devoted-carrying forward the family’s sporting legacy with passion.

Ghanim’s journey began at the age of four, inspired by his father’s extraordinary career. Omar Al Zubair is a celebrated figure in UAE sports, having played for Al Nasr club from 1983 to 1998, before making history as the first Emirati, Arab, and Asian referee to officiate a World Cup final in handball.

His presence at the London 2012 and Rio 2016 Olympic Games, as well as multiple youth and junior world finals, earned him some of the UAE's highest sports honours.