Qatar’s 13-Year-Old Talent Sparks Disbelief, Bala Misses Khaleeji 27 And Al Ahly Face Defensive Crisis

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From Qatar’s unbelievable volleyball talent to a UAE injury blow and Al Ahly’s growing defensive problem, there’s plenty happening across regional sport. Mubarak Musa Thiik Madut is listed by Volleyball World as a 13-year-old senior Qatar player, Guilherme Bala is set to miss Khaleeji 27 through injury, and Al Ahly are facing a centre-back shortage after injuries to Amr El-Gazar and Yasser Ibrahim.

Qatar’s 13-Year-Old Volleyball Talent Sparks Disbelief

What Is It About
Qatar have a 13-year-old already making an impact at senior international level. Mubarak Musa Thiik Madut is listed by Volleyball World as born on November 24, 2012, standing 210 cm tall and playing as an outside hitter for Qatar.

Why It Matters
The South Sudan-born youngster has already featured for Qatar’s senior team this year and has been producing too. At the 2026 Asian Championship, he scored 40 points across his first three matches, including 17 against South Korea.

What’s Next
His age has sparked plenty of disbelief online, but official Volleyball World records consistently list him as 13. For now, Mubarak is already one of the most unusual and talked-about stories in Asian volleyball.

Guilherme Bala To Miss UAE’s Khaleeji 27 Campaign

What Is It About
Guilherme Bala is set to miss the UAE’s Khaleeji 27 campaign after suffering an injury during Shabab Al Ahli’s 3-1 defeat to Al Jazira. The UAE winger had opened the scoring inside the first two minutes before being taken off at halftime.

Why It Matters
According to Emarat Al Youm, Bala is expected to be sidelined for around three to four weeks. That rules him out of the 27th Arabian Gulf Cup in Jeddah, where the UAE face Yemen, Bahrain and Qatar in the group stage.

What’s Next
The injury is a blow for both the UAE national team and Shabab Al Ahli, with both losing one of their key attacking options during a busy period.

Al Ahly Face Centre-Back Problem After Double Injury Blow

What Is It About
Al Ahly’s centre-back situation has become a major question after Amr El-Gazar suffered an ACL and medial meniscus tear. Yasser Ibrahim also picked up an ankle injury in the same match against Arab Contractors, leaving Houssine Ammouta short on defensive options.

Why It Matters
Hady Riad now looks like the most straightforward option, while Achraf Dari, Mohamed Hany and Ahmed Reda are also possible solutions. Dari’s case is especially interesting after he was close to leaving in the summer.

What’s Next
The current shortage could bring Dari straight back into contention as Al Ahly look for stability at the back. The main question now is who Ammouta trusts to step in during a difficult defensive spell.

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