Fursan Hispania FC have announced the official addition of Brazilian legend Roberto Carlos and Spanish legend Fernando Hierro as shareholders alongside the club’s founder, Spanish star Michel Salgado.
Together, they will now form a major force for the success of the club’s long-term sporting project, which was founded in Dubai in 2020, and has now become one of the most successful professional investment projects.
This alliance between former Real Madrid, Brazil and Spainish star footballers is a significant addition to the UAE’s football development efforts and contributes to establishing Dubai as a key hub for attracting and developing footballing talent.
It reinforces the vision of this project, which has been established over the past five years, highlighting the substantial investment opportunities available in Dubai’s and the UAE’s sports sector. These opportunities are fueled by the availability of infrastructure, government support through legislation and collaboration between the public and private sectors, a diverse population representing over 200 nationalities, high growth rates across all sectors and a high quality and standard of living.
A successful vision and firm commitment
The ambitious vision of the project launched by Michel Salgado encouraged Roberto Carlos and Fernando Hierro to join as shareholders at Fursan Hispania FC. This brings together three of the most respected and admired figures in the world of football, united by a shared commitment to developing the next generation of talent. Their combined efforts and extensive technical and managerial expertise will significantly enhance the club’s international network, its football methodology, the training of its coaches, the development paths of its players and its strategic development.
This will give young footballers in the UAE direct access to knowledge inspired by the highest standards of professional football. Together, they embody a shared vision, mutual responsibility, and a firm commitment to creating promising opportunities for future generations. Since its establishment in 2020, Fursan Hispania FC has transformed from an ambitious football academy into one of the most prestigious and highly regarded football development projects in the UAE.
The club has achieved exceptional growth, including competing within the UAE football conference, participating in the UAE Football Association’s Youth League, developing hundreds of players through the club’s academy, facilitating player progression and transfers to professional environments in Europe, establishing strategic international partnerships, including a partnership with the Spanish club Celta Vigo, and gaining recognition as one of the most ambitious football development projects in the UAE.
The club thus possesses one of the strongest player development pathways, where young footballers will benefit from elite training, international exposure, professional guidance and clear opportunities to advance towards the European football scene.
Thrilled with this latest development, Michel Salgado said: “This partnership isn’t about celebrating the past; it’s about building the future. For the past five years, I’ve worked to establish a club with ambition, values and a true vision. Today, with Roberto Carlos and Fernando Hierro joining this journey, Fursan Hispania FC embarks on a new chapter as we work together to give young players in the UAE the opportunity to dream bigger, develop better and reach real opportunities at the highest levels of football.”
He added: “My journey in establishing Fursan Hispania FC began in 2020 with an ambitious vision to create a leading platform for football development in the UAE. We transformed a promising academy into a competitive club, paving real pathways for young talent in the region. This founding commitment has been the cornerstone of the club’s success. It’s not just about building a club; it’s about setting a new standard for football development, opening doors for talented players, enabling them to progress to professional environments in Europe and forging vital strategic partnerships, such as the prominent alliance with Celta Vigo.”
Hierro: ‘An ambitious and important project in terms of discovering and developing talent’
Fernando Hierro, a former Real Madrid legend and captain, also, in his capacity as sporting director of the Spanish Football Federation (2007-2011), built the infrastructure that stood behind Spain’s historic crowning of two consecutive championships: the European Nations Cup (Euro 2008) and the 2010 FIFA World Cup. And it is this same strategic plan that is now directing the development model of Fursan Hispania FC.
Hierro will also bring with him to the Dubai football scene world-class football expertise, strategic vision and unparalleled global reliability, which will contribute to strengthening Dubai’s position as a pivotal international centre in the development of football.
Hierro is an icon for Real Madrid, having won 16 major titles with the Spanish giants, and that gave him a new thrill about his partnership with the Dubai project. “I am very happy to be a contributor to this large and important project in terms of discovering and developing talents, and I have followed Michel’s [Salgado] efforts,” Hierro said.
“I love Dubai and have always been looking for an opportunity to connect with it and contribute to football in Dubai and the UAE. I am very happy to be a part of this important project for discovering and developing talent. I have followed Michel’s efforts in establishing the club and the opportunities for success and development in Dubai and the UAE. We share a common vision for developing Al Fursan Hispania Club. I am pleased to contribute my own experience and expertise to the Dubai football scene to achieve the club’s vision and strategic goals, and to enhance Dubai’s position as a pivotal international hub for football development,” Hierro added.
Heroic Fernando Hierro
Pleased with a fresh challenge before him, Hierro committed himself to the partnership in the project. “I love Dubai and have always been looking for an opportunity to connect with it and contribute to football in Dubai and the UAE. I am very happy to be a part of this important project for discovering and developing talent. I have followed Michel Salgado’s efforts in establishing the club and the opportunities for success and development in Dubai and the UAE. We share a common vision for developing Al Fursan Hispania Club. I am pleased to contribute my own experience and expertise to the Dubai football scene to achieve the club’s vision and strategic goals, and to enhance Dubai’s position as a pivotal international hub for football development,” he said.
Hierro won five La Liga and three UEFA Champions League trophies during the course of his 14 years at Real Madrid. He went on to represent Spain on 89 occasions while appearing in four FIFA World Cups and two European Championships.
His extensive experience as a world-class player and administrator will directly contribute to enhancing the training standards of Fursan Hispania, its recruitment strategies, and its long-term governance.
Carlos comes calling
Roberto Carlos, winner of the 2002 World Cup with Brazil and three-time UEFA Champions League winner with Real Madrid, expressed his delight at becoming a shareholder at Fursan Hispania FC.
“I always come to Dubai and follow its incredible development in all areas, especially its wonderful lifestyle and the prominent position of football. I am pleased to be a shareholder in this club alongside my friends and fellow Real Madrid teammates, Hierro and Salgado. I hope my contribution will be a significant addition to this great project and to football in Dubai and the UAE. Together, we will strengthen the club’s position, instill in the players a winning mentality honed at the highest levels of the game and leverage our extensive connections in the footballing world to directly benefit the football scene in Dubai, thus reinforcing our deep confidence in the future of football in the UAE,” he noted.
Roberto Carlos’s arrival at Fursan Hispania instills a winning mentality and cultivates a culture of excellence, resilience and relentless ambition within the club. His status as an official Real Madrid ambassador and one of the most recognizable figures in world football will immediately amplify Fursan Hispania’s presence and visibility across Asia, the Americas, Europe and beyond. The star will also be an inspiration to the young players who will now train and develop under the influence of a player who has won everything, embodying what dedication and talent can achieve on the global stage.
His contribution ensures active participation, giving the players of the Fursan Hispania FC access to insights, guidance and standards drawn from the pinnacle of world football. His commitment as a contributor sends a powerful message to the UAE football community that Dubai is ready to compete and grow internationally.
He also helps bridge the gap between local and global football by linking the club’s ambitions to the wider global football ecosystem, accelerating Hispania Knights’ journey towards regional and international recognition.
