O futebol como instrumento de Soft Power: um estudo sobre a presença dos Emirados Árabes Unidos no futebol europeu (2001-2022)

Abstract

Since 2001, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has sought to diversify its economy and reduce its dependence on oil; in addition, there is also broad interest in expanding the international projection of the emirati state. One of the main means chosen to gain credibility from the international system and participate in the daily lives of millions of people around the world was presence in European football. In this study, our objective is to analyze the strategies adopted by the United Arab Emirates, such as sponsorships and the acquisition of traditional teams, in particular the Emirates of Dubai and Abu Dhabi, and how these international projection strategies, through soft power, influence perception, in terms of increasing the image and international attractiveness and contributed to the expansion of the country's reliability and credibility, and are reflected in metrics such as the expansion of tourism, becoming the most visited country in the Gulf in 2022, and the construction of the emirati national brand as a modern and technological country.