After receiving offers from Rapid Vienna, Glasgow Rangers, the J-League and a few English Premiership teams, he decided that he was no longer fit to play world-class football. He joined the U.A.E league at 34 years of age, signing a contract with Al-Shabab as a free agent. In 2003 Daei quit the U.A.Eteam and joined his old team in Tehran, where he is currently playing moderately well.