A lengthy wait comes to an end with the selection of Ayaa to the National Futsal Team

One of the Maldives' most talented futsal players, Ayaz Ahmed (Ayaa) has been selected for the National Futsal Team for the first time. He described the call-up as the end of a long wait in his sporting journey.

“Alhamdhulillah! It is an honor to represent the country at the AFC Futsal Asian Cup Qualifiers. I’m ready to give my best to this opportunity,” Ayaa shared on his social media before departing with the team.

Ayaa’s first encounter with the national squad came back in 2019 when Croatian coach Peter Sagat invited him to train with the team. At the time, his outstanding performance caught attention, and he was given a chance to play against Syria in the World Cup qualifiers.

Ayaa began his senior career with The Grande, having previously represented AYL and Maziya in the Youth Championship. He played for The Grande from their early third-division days through their rise to the Premier League, competing in both second and first divisions.

Despite receiving offers to play professional football, including an opportunity to join the national team under Dutch coach Martin Koopman, Ayaa chose to pursue futsal full-time, where he had already built a strong reputation.

In 2022, he was named Best Player of the Tournament while playing for champions Fenaka in the Club Maldives Cup. The following year, he captained his home island team, GDh. Vaadhoo, leading them for the first time to the finals in the Golden Futsal Challenge.

Ayaa was widely expected to join the national team for the 2023 Futsal Asian Cup, but a serious knee injury during a local match led to ACL surgery, sidelining him for months. After a long rehabilitation, he made his return in early 2024. While he wasn’t in top form, he still played a pivotal role in guiding the MPL team to the semi-finals of the Club Maldives Cup.

This year, he once again represented Vaadhoo in the Golden Futsal Challenge, leading the team to the semi-finals. Alongside futsal, Ayaa also made a notable impact in football, after two seasons in the first division with The Grande, he helped New Radiant Sports Club reach the semi-finals of the 2023/2024 second division football tournament.

Head coach Ahmed Niyaz (Niya) has named four new players alongside Ayaa for this year's Futsal Asian Cup squad: Ali Shamal Abdullah (Shanmu), Mohamed Fasir (Faatte'), Ahmed Rahil Rashid, and goalkeeper Abdullah Zimam. Shanmu has also previously been in the national football team.