Four Abu Dhabi street soccer teams were crowned the winners of the inaugural Streetkings tournament hosted at the Dome@Rawdhat this weekend.

Played over a series of nine games, two-man teams battled it out head-to-head on enclosed mini-pitches at the football facility on Airport Road.

Ahmad Yousef and Mohammed Khan, Team Liverpool shared the Under 12 trophy with Karim Ayman and Mohammed Tareq of Team MK in a tightly fought battle. In the Under 17 category, Bader Alshabibi and Wael Alshabibi’s Team BW took first prize, while Team Hyatt – Razun Croitory and Anouar Moujami – won the 18 and over division.

Reem Investments, tournament organisers and the company behind the Dome, were overwhelmed with the response from the local community – 62 teams registered to take part in the event.

Street soccer in the capital is growing in popularity since Streetkings signed an agreement with Reem Investments to set up a permanent home in Abu Dhabi. Edward van Gils, founder of Streetkings and a former player with Dutch league side AZ Alkamar, kick-started the tournament with an impressive demonstration of tricks and moves with his colleague Izzy Hitman.

Street soccer is seen as having learning qualities well beyond the vast array of tricks invented and perfected by players such as van Gils and his colleague Lenny Macnack, an expert at Panna, the art of playing the ball through your opponent’s legs.

For more information, visit www.thedome.ae or call 02 449 8480.