They came, for the most part, to see the little Argentine with dynamite in his boots.
That should not surprise given that, for many, Lionel Messi sits out on his own as the greatest footballer to have graced the game.
On Wednesday night in Abu Dhabi, more than 36,000 packed inside the Mohamed bin Zayed Stadium to witness a bona fide superstar at work, Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni playing to the masses by starting his namesake in the friendly against hosts UAE.
Messi, not far removed from his dazzling early season with Paris Saint-Germain and not long from his anticipated final flourish at a World Cup, was front and centre in the capital – much to apparently everyone’s delight.
Even outside the stadium, “Messi 10” Argentina shirts were exchanging hands as if gold dust; inside people packed the seats and chanted and screamed whenever they caught sight of the pocket forward with one of the game’s bulkiest trophy collections.
In the warm-up, when Messi emerged at the tip of his team; when he curled practice shots into the top corner; when his name was called in the line-up over the PA system.
On eight minutes, when the first flash of Messi sent a dangerous low cross skidding across the UAE penalty area. Then, nine minutes later, when the Argentina captain was sent through by Angel Di Maria and unselfishly – that’s part of what makes him great – rolled the ball to Julian Alvarez, who duly placed his shot past Khalid Essa in the UAE goal.
Di Maria-Messi-Alvarez, the initial duo with their 17 major-league titles and five Uefa Champions Leagues – Messi owns four – and the latter whom much is expected of at Manchester City, the reigning English champions. That, remember, despite the World Cup shifting now into full view.
Argentina open their bid for a third global title in Doha in less than a week, where they kick off their campaign against Saudi Arabia.
The current Copa America title-holders are among the favourites for the crown, where a significant slice of people tuning in from around the football world will wish Messi’s global-finals swansong comes complete with World Cup trophy in hand.
On Wednesday’s viewing, in their concluding warm-up before Qatar 2022, Argentina appear in fine fettle. Granted, they were up against a UAE side ranked 67 places below them by Fifa, at No 70, a team in transition as Rodolfo Arruabarrena – the Argentina-born manager – blends experienced heads with youthful enterprise.
Hugely dominant, the visitors were 4-0 up by half-time. After Alvarez set them on their way, Di Maria volleyed beautifully home from Marcos Acuna’s perfectly floated cross, before the Juventus winger jinked through the UAE defence to round Essa and make it three.
Of course, Messi would not be outdone. Not long before half-time, the record seven-time Ballon d’Or winner exchanged a neat one-two with Di Maria, stepped past Alhasan Saleh and lifted the ball high across Essa and into the corner. Predictably, the place erupted.
It did again when Messi returned, perhaps somewhat surprisingly, for the second half. Saudi lie in wait six days away, but Scaloni did not relent. At least Di Maria was given a breather.
Arruabarrena, meanwhile, replaced UAE captain Ali Mabkhout with Fabio De Lima, and midfielder Ali Salmeen with Majed Rashid.
Suddenly, the home side sprung to life. Harib Abdallah rocked the crossbar from range; seconds later, Abdullah Ramadan tested goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez at full stretch.
Just to remind there was a game to be contested, Manchester United’s Lisandro Martinez picked up a yellow card for constantly chipping away at Al Ain’s Caio Canedo.
On the hour, Argentina's fifth goal. Rodrigo De Paul slipped in substitute Joaquin Correa who finished beyond Essa, via a Saleh deflection. At the other end, Canedo blasted over from the angle.
By then, Messi had receded to fleeting sparks of life, flitting in and out of view. As much as Messi can. Sixty-eight minutes in, as Argentina prepared a corner, Messi waved to one section of the stands and it felt another goal had been plundered.
There was time enough for Messi to arch a free-kick just off target. And, too, for UAE substitute Ali Saleh to force a fine save from Martinez on the break and Canedo’s rebound - surely a certain goal - to be blocked gallantly on the line.
Soon, the night was over. Messi had helped Argentina extend their unbeaten streak to 36 matches, having in the process thrilled the Mohamed bin Zayed Stadium. At 35, the diminutive dynamo's star-power burns bright still.
'The Batman'
Stars:Robert Pattinson
Director:Matt Reeves
Rating: 5/5
Race card
6.30pm: Handicap (TB) $68,000 (Dirt) 1,200m
7.05pm: Meydan Cup – Listed Handicap (TB) $88,000 (Turf) 2,810m
7.40pm: UAE 2000 Guineas – Group 3 (TB) $125,000 (D) 1,600m
8.15pm: Firebreak Stakes – Group 3 (TB) $130,000 (D) 1,600m
9.50pm: Meydan Classic – Conditions (TB) $$50,000 (T) 1,400m
9.25pm: Dubai Sprint – Listed Handicap (TB) $88,000 (T) 1,200m
White hydrogen: Naturally occurring hydrogen
Chromite: Hard, metallic mineral containing iron oxide and chromium oxide
Ultramafic rocks: Dark-coloured rocks rich in magnesium or iron with very low silica content
Ophiolite: A section of the earth’s crust, which is oceanic in nature that has since been uplifted and exposed on land
Olivine: A commonly occurring magnesium iron silicate mineral that derives its name for its olive-green yellow-green colour
Who has been sanctioned?
Daniella Weiss and Nachala
Described as 'the grandmother of the settler movement', she has encouraged the expansion of settlements for decades. The 79 year old leads radical settler movement Nachala, whose aim is for Israel to annex Gaza and the occupied West Bank, where it helps settlers built outposts.
Harel Libi & Libi Construction and Infrastructure
Libi has been involved in threatening and perpetuating acts of aggression and violence against Palestinians. His firm has provided logistical and financial support for the establishment of illegal outposts.
Zohar Sabah
Runs a settler outpost named Zohar’s Farm and has previously faced charges of violence against Palestinians. He was indicted by Israel’s State Attorney’s Office in September for allegedly participating in a violent attack against Palestinians and activists in the West Bank village of Muarrajat.
Coco’s Farm and Neria’s Farm
These are illegal outposts in the West Bank, which are at the vanguard of the settler movement. According to the UK, they are associated with people who have been involved in enabling, inciting, promoting or providing support for activities that amount to “serious abuse”.
Tamkeen's offering
- Option 1: 70% in year 1, 50% in year 2, 30% in year 3
- Option 2: 50% across three years
- Option 3: 30% across five years
Desert Warrior
Starring: Anthony Mackie, Aiysha Hart, Ben Kingsley
Director: Rupert Wyatt
Rating: 3/5
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League quarter-final, second leg (first-leg score)
Porto (0) v Liverpool (2), Wednesday, 11pm UAE
Match is on BeIN Sports
Watch live
The National will broadcast live from the IMF on Friday October 13 at 7pm UAE time (3pm GMT) as our Editor-in-Chief Mina Al-Oraibi moderates a panel on how technology can help growth in MENA.
You can find out more here
Dubai Bling season three
Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed
Rating: 1/5
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Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
