📅 Saturday 13th June 2026
⚽ U17 Media Day
📍 Banaat FC Hub, Alserkal Avenue, Dubai.
Our U17 Media Day was a full day dedicated to capturing the personality, passion, and voices of our academy players—both on and off the pitch. From team bonding moments to professional-style interviews and podcast recordings, the day highlighted what makes this group special.
The Media Day also provided an opportunity to celebrate a standout season for the squad. The team were recognized for their achievements with a 2nd place finish at the DOFA Awards, alongside being crowned winners of the Winter YFL 2025/26. These accomplishments reflect the consistency, growth, and commitment shown by the players throughout the season.
Beyond results, the recognition highlights the collective progress of the squad and the strong foundation being built within the Banaat FC U17 squad.
Arrival & Team Setup
Players arrived and got settled into the space, kicking off the day in a relaxed but exciting atmosphere.
The opening phase saw the squad collaborate on designing and painting a team banner, reinforcing identity and togetherness within the group. While the banner activity took place, individual player photoshoots were conducted, capturing professional headshots. In addition to individual portraits, players also took part in a variety of informal and creative photo setups, including fun individual shots, paired images, and small group photos, showcasing the personality and chemistry within the squad.
This dual approach allowed for both team-building and individual recognition, setting a positive tone for the day.
Midday Transition
By midday, all individual photos were completed, and the set was transformed into a podcast-style interview space using the same backdrop.
This shift marked the second phase of the day: storytelling and player voices.
Podcast Interviews
Leen Al Haj, attacker for Banaat FC, led the interview sessions, speaking with players two at a time in a relaxed podcast format.
Each session began with introductions:
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Name
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Position
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How long they’ve been at Banaat FC
Leen then guided the conversation through a mix of football insight, team culture, personal motivation, and fun rapid-fire questions.
Interview Themes
The conversations were structured around five key themes:
Football Development: Players discussed their strengths, positional understanding, memorable matches, inspirations, and the advice that has shaped their development.
Banaat FC Experience: Players reflected on their journey within the club, key moments, growth over the season, and what it means to represent Banaat FC.
Team Culture: Discussions highlighted squad dynamics, including standout personalities, sources of motivation, and the relationships that define the group.
Personality & Lifestyle: A lighter segment captured players’ interests beyond football, including hobbies, travel aspirations, matchday routines, and music choices.
Ambition & Mindset: Players shared their goals for the future, motivations, and the impact they hope to make within the game.
Quick Fire Round
The sessions concluded with a fast-paced “Quick Fire” segment, featuring light-hearted questions designed to showcase personality and character, including football preferences, lifestyle choices, and fun “most likely to” scenarios.
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Coffee, Matcha, or Tea?
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Messi or Ronaldo?
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Beach or City holiday
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Home or Away kit
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Morning or Evening training
Squad List
The U17 Media Day featured the following players:
Celine, Emma, Fatima, Yara, Nevaeh, Sakina, Zoe, Camilla, Lina, Lyna, Judy, Dalia, Haya, Raabiya, Malika, Mariam, Anna, Nicole, Shoukry, Maria, Layla.
A Celebration of Identity
The U17 Media Day provided an opportunity to showcase the voices, personalities, and ambition within the squad. From collaborative creative work to in-depth interviews, the day highlighted the values at the heart of Banaat FC: unity, development, and expression.
The result is a collection of authentic player stories that reflect a group committed to growth both on and off the pitch.
