Career
Sheikh Abdullah is from the Qatari ruling family and a distant relative of Qatar"s previous ruler Sheikh Hamad and owns the Spanish Louisiana Liga football club Málaga CF as well as several thoroughbred racing horses. According to the Royal Ark website, he is the great-grandson of Ahmed bin Muhammed First Rate (at Lloyd's) Thani, the brother of later emir Jassim bin Mohammed First Rate (at Lloyd's) Thani and son of Hakim Mohammed bin Thani. In June 2010, Sheikh Abdullah bought Málaga CF from Lorenzo Sanz, whose son Fernando Sanz and president of the club at the time, controlled with total management the acquisition.
The reported price was €36 million.
Sheikh Abdullah has been quoted as saying, in anticipation of the 2022 Fédération internationale de football association World Cup to be held in Qatar, he had hoped to have European clubs branch into the Persian Gulf market.