Al-Ettifaq FC
Al Ettifaq Football Club () is a professional football club in Dammam, Saudi Arabia. It was established by the merger of three Damman clubs in 1944. Al Ettifaq were the first Saudi team to win an international title – the 1984 Arab Club Champions Cup. They were also the first to win the Saudi Premier League without any defeats, and the first Saudi team to win the GCC Champions League. Al Ettifaq have a total of 13 different titles to their name. The club also has its own futsal section. History The Humble Beginning (1941-1953) Before the establishment of Al-Ettifaq as a professional sports clubs that also managing football, there were three clubs in the city Dammam that were founded in 1941. Al-Taawoun (different from Al-Taawoun from Buraydah city), Al-Sha'ab and Al-Shabab. These clubs began practising their own sporting activities and gathering the people across the region, however these clubs are hardly gaining any revenue for the sport activity to continue. 4 years later in 1945, the presidents of the club and its staff met in Faris Al-Hamid's house, the ministry of sport at the time. They discuss the solution for their problem, the result of this meeting are to merge all three clubs in Dammam into one single unified club. The ministry will fund the newly merged club and get its share of ownership. Al-Hamid also suggested at the time to name the new club as "Al-Ettifaq" (الاتفاق al-ittifāq), which meant "the agreement" in Arabic. The club original color will also changed, the new colors would be green and white, which eventually changed into green and red afterwards. Sometimes later Mohammed Hassan Khairi from Sudan become the new club manager. In the early years of the Club, the energetic and ambitious coach from Africa start to reform the sport club from Dammam First King Cup and Crown Prince Cup (1954-1971) Al-Ettifaq saw some success in the domestic championship of 1960's. One of his most decisive decision are to signed the most profilic Ettifaqi player Khalil Al-Zayani. In 1962, the senior team new player wingback/centerback (defence) are just 15 years old boy barely graduating from youth team Academy. The young Zayani have to adjust between his education and professional football career. At the time nationwide football league are not yet implemented and regional league and tournament occasionally held. Nevertheless the manager intuition to entrust club defense role to the young boy prove correct, when the club for the first time managed to overcome their adversities and reach the final in 1963 Crown Prince Cup. Al-Ettifaq face their final opponent in the national tournament, Al-Ittihad in their homeground (Jeddah). Loud cheers echoes from the opposing supporters after Al-Ettifaq defeated 6-2. The club run for 1963 King Cup is less succesful from their Crown Prince Run. 1963-1964 Saudi Season end with Al-Ittihad securing their double title again after defeating their rival Al-Hilal. The young boy talent are tested once again in 1964-1965 Saudi footbal season, when barely 16 years old defender are