Soccer has always meant something to the Sakr family. At the FC Cincinnati Academy, brothers Ali and Hassan are chasing their dreams together and continue to improve together.
Ali Sakr, a talented and highly touted U16 academy player, stands out not just because of his skill, but because of the teammate who has been with him every step of the way. Ali and his brother Hassan, who plays for the U15 academy team, make for one of the most interesting dynamics inside the FC Cincinnati Academy.
The Sakr brothers hail from Beverly Hills, Michigan and moved to Cincinnati to join the academy, are looking to replicate the success of another pair of FCC brothers. Ali, 16, and Hassan, 15, have their sights set on becoming the next duo of brothers to graduate out of the FC Cincinnati Academy and follow in the footsteps of Stefan and Andrei Chirila.
While most players spend years competing against strangers, the Sakr brothers have always had a built-in competitor just down the hall. Ali and Hassan started playing soccer when they were each around 3-years-old. In the beginning though, soccer wasn’t Ali’s primary focus. He spent more time on the hard court playing tennis, following in his mom’s footsteps.
That changed when soccer began during school recess. That’s when everything clicked. Ali fell in love with the game and realized he wanted to go all in.Â
From there, the brothers grew side-by-side. Hassan developed that same passion for the game and the duo joined organized leagues, trained together constantly and took every chance they could to push each other and improve.
“For the most part we played in the same club. We always trained together, and we always competed against each other,” Ali said. “I think we used each other to become the players that we are today.”
Ali and Hassan’s development continued as they advanced into higher level competitions, but like many athletes, their momentum was disrupted in 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic shut the world down. During that time, their rhythm was thrown off, but the passion never wavered.
“I remember during Covid we spent a lot of time together just working with each other (because) we didn’t really have much to do. I think that’s when soccer became a big part of our lives,” Ali said.
The two would train and play together deep into the night while stuck at home during the lockdowns. With schools also going remote the two would do everything they could to replicate that school yard environment by kicking the ball around together and competing, despite their age gap.
Fast forward five years, that dedication has paid off, and the two are playing at the highest level of academy soccer available at their age in MLS NEXT. Ali was also selected to participate in the U15 U.S. Youth National Team training camp in March 2025, an opportunity he described as both new and exciting.
“It was new, I’ve never been called up like that before, so it was a fun experience, it was different and I learned a lot,” Ali said.
Just two months later, Ali debuted with FC Cincinnati 2 in MLS NEXT Pro at 15-years-old, marking another major milestone in his young career. Per OPSM Soccer, he also became just the fourth player born in 2010 to make his NEXT Pro debut.
On the pitch, Ali has been praised as a strong and creative attacking player who is able to use his dribbling skills as an advantage against opponents. His flair on offense can perhaps best be summed up by his own Instagram, where he describes himself as a “Magician” in the profession tab.
Ali also takes a lot of inspiration from music in how he interprets the game and translates it to the field. While the intensity has fallen away as soccer pursuits have become more prominent in his life, Ali used to practice and play both piano and the cello in a serious way. He still plays, just not to the same degree he once did. One place Ali relates his soccer to is the discipline it takes to perfect an instrument even after learning how to play it initially.
He also correlates his game to some specific genres of music.
“I think my game is kind of a mix of things,” Ali said, “Sometimes it’s like a smooth R&B or classical guitar. But then other times, it’s like rock and roll and it’s just going hard.” Â
For many, a debut like the one he had with FCC 2 is something that stands out as a defining moment. But for Ali, his love for the game stood taller than any achievement.
“After my first injury, obviously, having injuries is not a good thing, but coming back from the injury and spending time off from soccer made me realize how much it means to me being able to be on the field,” Ali said.
It is that passion for soccer that continues to drive Ali, but getting the chance to share his journey with his brother was the goal he always had in sight.
“We love it because we’re there to support each other through everything,” Ali said. “I think that’s the most important thing. I am brothers with everyone on the field, everyone on my team, but with him it’s even closer, and for him to be with me, it means a lot.”
Just last month, both Ali and Hassan scored for FC Cincinnati in the Generation Adidas Cup, which is one of the most prevalent youth soccer tournaments in the world and the defining event on the FCC Academy calendar for the U15 and U16 age groups. Hassan’s goal helped capture a 3-0 win over CT United FC, while Ali’s goal was a game-winner against Nagoya Grampus of Japan and the J-League.
In those moments though, it wasn’t just about the goals. It was about everything that led them there. The long nights training together, the constant competition and the everlasting bond that continues to propel them forward.
