The Arabian Gulf League, the UAE’s professional league, over the past year lost two of its more recognizable players — Asamoah Gyan, the Ghana captain and Al Ain forward, who decamped to Shanghai SIPG; and Grafite, the leading scorer for the 2009 Bundesliga champions Wolfsburg and later of Al Ahli, now back in Brazil.

Of those who remain, as the 2015/16 season picks up steam, here are five players with whom global soccer fans may be at least vaguely familiar.

1. Jorge Valdivia, midfielder, Chile national team and Al Wahda club. One of his country’s best players at the 2010 World Cup, still a useful player for Chile, not so much at the 2014 World Cup, where he played with marginal impact, but at the recent Copa America, where he was key to Chile winning its first continental title. Known for his passing skills and answers to “El Mago” — the Magician. Deeply respected in the UAE from his time here in 2008-09.

2. Everton Ribeiro, 26, midfielder, Brazil national team and Al Ahli, the Dubai club. Twice chosen the best player in the Brazil top flight, he joined Ahli in the middle of last season and struggled for a bit, but he is coming around. Smallish, not particularly athletic, a good passer. Called into the Copa America team by Dunga, but he badly missed a penalty in a quarterfinal shootout loss to Paraguay.

3. Ryan Babel, 28, left-side winger, former Netherlands national team, former Liverpool and Ajax player, now with Al Ain. He has been with some big clubs in big events, but he is a bit of a serial disappointment. He looks like an athlete, but perhaps for a sport requiring a bigger body. A bit slow. Followers of English football will remember him from his four seasons with Liverpool, where he scored 12 goals in 91 appearances.

4. Moussa Sow, 29, French-Senegalese striker now with Ahli. Spent most of a decade in France, where he was best known for being the key man in Lille’s 2011 Ligue 1 championship when he led the league with 25 goals. Purchased by Ahli for 16 million euros — about $18 million, making him the third-most-expensive player in UAE history.

5. Royston Drenthe, winger/left back, formerly of Real Madrid, Everton and Reading, now with Baniyas. An occasional presence for three seasons with Real Madrid 2007-10, and spending any time with those guys gives you some cachet. Just one game with Netherlands, his national team. Not one of the five best players in the UAE league, but he makes the list for his notoriety as what the British would call “a nearly man”. Also has a great name.

Honorable mentions: Rodrigo Lima, 32, former Benfica striker, now with Ahli; Hugo Viana, 32, former Newcastle, Valencia and Braga playmaker, now with Al Wasl; Joaquin Larrivey, former Cagliari, Rayo Vallecano and Celta forward, now with Baniyas; Nilmar, 31, former Brazil, Lyon and Villarreal forward, now with Al Nasr; Mirko Vucinic, former Roma and Juventus forward now with Al Jazira.

And the most famous/infamous coach: Javier Aguirre, former Mexico, Japan, Atletico Madrid and Osasuna manager, now running Al Wahda in Abu Dhabi, and awaiting the conclusion of a match-fixing investigation dating from his time managing Zaragoza in Spain.