Veteran Portuguese goalkeeper Rui Patrício is set to play in the newly expanded Club World Cup for Al Ain.
The 37-year-old shot-stopper has signed a short-term deal with the UAE-based club, Al Ain, ahead of the upcoming Club World Cup.
The club confirmed the news in an official statement on Saturday, saying the Euro 2016-winning goalkeeper from Portugal will “arrive in the UAE on Sunday evening to complete his medical and join team training.”
Patrício, who has 108 caps for Portugal, most recently played for Italian side Atalanta in the 2024–25 season. Earlier in his career, he spent over a decade at Sporting Lisbon in his homeland, before spells with Wolverhampton Wanderers in England and three seasons with AS Roma in Italy.
Al Ain, who won the 2024 AFC Champions League, previously reached the Club World Cup final in 2018 on home soil, where they lost to Real Madrid.
This year’s Club World Cup will feature 32 teams and take place in the United States from June 14 to July 13. Al Ain have been drawn into Group G alongside Juventus, Manchester City, and Moroccan side Wydad.
To help clubs prepare, FIFA has opened a special transfer window from June 1 to June 10, allowing teams to register players specifically for the tournament.
