Soufiane Rahimi Makes History as Al Ain's All-Time Leading Scorer
Soufiane Rahimi did not just score against Al Nassr. He rewrote a chapter of Al Ain’s history.
On a charged night at the Hazza bin Zayed Stadium, the Moroccan forward struck in a 4-0 demolition of Cristiano Ronaldo’s side to become Al Ain’s outright all-time leading scorer in Asian club competitions, moving clear of Asamoah Gyan and Omar Abdulrahman.
Rahimi steps out of Gyan’s shadow
Rahimi walked onto the pitch on Tuesday locked on 18 Asian goals for Al Ain, level with two of the club’s most iconic names: Gyan, the Ghanaian superstar whose goals powered Al Ain through some of their biggest continental nights, and local hero Abdulrahman.
One clean finish later, the deadlock was gone.
His goal against Al Nassr took him to 19 in Asian competition, a simple number that carries heavy symbolism. For years, Gyan’s tally had stood as the benchmark, the reference point for any Al Ain striker dreaming of leaving a mark beyond the domestic scene. Now that record belongs to Rahimi alone.
The manner of the moment mattered too. This was not a consolation strike in a lost cause. It came in a statement win, a 4-0 rout in the AFC Champions League Elite opener, delivered against one of the region’s most high-profile sides and under the gaze of one of football’s biggest global stars.
The pressure finally told on Al Nassr; Rahimi and Al Ain did the rest.
A new standard-bearer for Al Ain in Asia
Rahimi’s rise has not been sudden, but it has been relentless. Season by season, his influence on Al Ain’s continental ambitions has grown, his goals and performances becoming central to the Emirati club’s identity in Asia.
With Gyan retired and Abdulrahman no longer in the squad, the responsibility to carry Al Ain’s attacking legacy in Asian competition has shifted. Rahimi has not shied away from it. He has embraced it.
Now, with the AFC Champions League Elite campaign underway and Al Ain starting with a resounding win, the 30-year-old has room to stretch that record even further. Every knockout tie, every group-stage fixture, every tight away game under floodlights becomes another chance to push the bar higher.
Al Ain know what it takes to go deep in this tournament. Rahimi helped them lift the title in the 2023/24 season, and this latest performance underlines that they remain a serious threat again.
The names on the club’s continental honour roll are illustrious. Gyan’s era was defined by power and charisma, Abdulrahman’s by artistry and vision. Rahimi is carving out his own space among them, built on timing, consistency, and a knack for delivering when the stakes rise.
On this night, against this opponent, he did more than score a goal. He claimed a record, took ownership of a legacy, and set a new target for whoever dares to follow.
