Soccer is the most popular sport on Earth in large part because of its breathtaking individual displays of skill. But when it comes to winning championships, Unis AlHidary knows that nothing beats teamwork.

Unis AlHidary

AlHidary and fellow Michigan Yemen Sports Association player Ismail Nasser would know, as they both won Metro Detroit Soccer League Championships in 2009. AlHidary played for the first division squad and Nasser played for the reserve squad, and both players won scoring titles for their respective teams.
When asked what allowed him to score a staggering 14 goals in 10 games, AlHidary had a somewhat surprising answer.

“My speed is my best attribute,” he said, “but just as important is the way we play as a team and the communication we have.”

AlHidary and Nasser, who also won a scoring title with 11 goals in games for the reserve squad, didn’t get to play on the same team, but the bond they developed in practice as two of the best players in the organization helped them develop their passing and team-related skills to transfer into the games with their other teammates.

Nasser stayed on the reserve squad in the second division of the MDSL to give the squad a boost even though he was easily good enough to play in the first division.

Ismail Nasser

For the two star players and 19-year-old students at Henry Ford Community College, it was a bond first formed as youngsters playing backyard soccer together in Sana, Yemen. They unexpectedly re-connected as high school teammates at Edsel Ford High School about ten years later and picked up right where they left off.
“I knew him from Yemen and I came three years before him, now we get to see each other again and play with each other,” said AlHidary about his friendship and rapport with Nasser on and off the field.

“We practice three days a week and play together most of the time because we work so well together.”

AlHidary believes that Nasser, who won the second division scoring title the past two years, will play in the first division next year as the team will face even tougher competition. In fact, some of that competition could come from the reserve team itself, which will move up from the second division to the first division due to their recent successes.

Next year’s season will run from May-August but the two friends have plenty of other activities to keep them busy until then.

Nasser is studying to become a pharmacist while AlHidary is studying computer networking, both at Henry Ford.

And coaching soccer with the Michigan Yemen Sports Association is another way the two friends enjoy giving back to the community.

“It’s very good to coach and have fun with the kids; it’s nice to have a good group of kids who want to learn the game of soccer,” said Nasser, who coaches 14-16-year-olds in his spare time.

Nasser enjoys giving back to the game that has given him so much in life. Both he and AlHidary have aspirations of playing college soccer some day for a team in Michigan.

“Soccer is very important to me; it keeps me in good health and it keeps me off the streets,” said Nassar.

“That’s the purpose of the organization for the kids. We play for the love of the game and the competition; everyone loves the competition.”