Half an hour into Brazil’s meeting with Serbia at the last World Cup, two heavyweights contested a loose ball close to the centre circle.
Aleksandar Mitrovic thought a stooping header might win the joust and launch a Serbian counter-attack. Thiago Silva reckoned a judicious stretch of his long right leg might nip the danger in the bud.
Thiago connected with the ball, but also with Mitrovic’s brow. The striker fell, clutching his scalp in pain. Thiago offered appropriate gestures of concern. And for the remaining hour they carried on going at each other hammer and tongs.
That duel, compelling to watch in the Moscow sun four-and-a-half years ago, should be resumed at some point this afternoon as the favourites to win the 2022 World Cup take on a Serbia team tipped, not for the first time at a major tournament, as candidates to make a surprise, outsider surge to the later stages, even to a semi-final.
Serbia are dark horses largely because of the career-defining 2022 their lead strikers, Mitrovic and Dusan Vlahovic, are now completing.
Both come into the tournament a little gingerly, an ankle injury having interrupted Mitrovic’s stunning momentum with his club Fulham – 43 goals towards last season’s promotion from the Championship; nine more in the Premier League this season – and a thigh problem having kept Vlahovic out of action for Juventus, who signed the 22-year-old for close to €82 million in January.
Whichever of the pair makes – or indeed, if both start – the line-up on Thursday, Brazil’s worldly defensive unit can anticipate duelling that is muscular and intense.
Thiago is earmarked to wear the captain’s armband, a distinction he has enjoyed, on and off, for a dozen years spent gradually making himself commander-in-chief of Brazil’s back line.
Brazil's Road to Qatar
The Chelsea veteran is into his 39th year, old enough to have turned professional when Brazil won the fifth of their World Cups, in 2002. But at that stage in his life he was beginning a tough journey towards the elite.
He suffered rejection from various clubs in his teens, was marginalised when he moved to Europe to join Porto, and came close to leaving football altogether when he was hospitalised with tuberculosis while playing for Dynamo Moscow.
His endurance through his later years, the trophied period with AC Milan, Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea owes plenty to the determination he developed in the lean times.
He made sound alliances, too, and the partnership Thiago nurtured over six seasons at PSG with Marquinhos is the rock on which Brazil’s solidity is based.
With Thiago and Marquinhos in tandem, six clean sheets have been preserved in their nine games on the pitch together since the July 2021 defeat to Argentina in the final of the Copa America – and two of those goals conceded came in 5-1 victories. With Alisson, the Liverpool goalkeeper behind them, and Casemiro, of Manchester United, the sentry at the base of midfield, Tite, the Brazil head coach, believes he has a security corps to better any at the tournament.
The dilemma, ahead of the Group G opener, is whether to also include Fred, Casemiro’s club colleague and established sidekick in midfield. Leaving out Fred would mean a midfield pairing of Casemiro and West Ham United’s Lucas Paqueta, a Tite favourite, and so allow Neymar to be flanked by Barcelona’s Raphinha and Real Madrid’s Vinicius Junior, behind, most likely, Richarlison of Tottenham Hotspur. With Fred included, Vinicius or Raphinha would start on the bench.
Whatever Tite’s choices, it will be a very different XI from the one the same coach, in the job since 2016, assembled for the quarter-final against Belgium at the last World Cup, a 2-1 defeat for which Casemiro was suspended, Neymar frustrated and Thiago Silva regretful that an early opportunity came off his thigh and on to the Belgian post.
In that tournament, Thiago had already reminded of his usefulness at attacking set-pieces, one of his many assets, with a goal in that percussive group match against Serbia. Mitrovic would remember it well. A Neymar corner swung in, the burly Fulham striker was marking the near post. He ended up spread-eagled on the ground.
Thiago took advantage to head home Brazil’s second of a 2-0 win, by which time the Mitro-versus-Thiago ding-dong had been engrossing spectators for close to 70 minutes. Mitrovic was booked shortly afterwards.
Tite anticipates more bruises being left on his players at the Lusail stadium. He knows his team’s billing as favourites, and Brazil’s fabled World Cup history, motivates every opponent.
“We will not be surrendering easily,” said Dragan Stojkovic, Serbia’s head coach.
Fixtures
Tuesday - 5.15pm: Team Lebanon v Alger Corsaires; 8.30pm: Abu Dhabi Storms v Pharaohs
Wednesday - 5.15pm: Pharaohs v Carthage Eagles; 8.30pm: Alger Corsaires v Abu Dhabi Storms
Thursday - 4.30pm: Team Lebanon v Pharaohs; 7.30pm: Abu Dhabi Storms v Carthage Eagles
Friday - 4.30pm: Pharaohs v Alger Corsaires; 7.30pm: Carthage Eagles v Team Lebanon
Saturday - 4.30pm: Carthage Eagles v Alger Corsaires; 7.30pm: Abu Dhabi Storms v Team Lebanon
States of Passion by Nihad Sirees,
Pushkin Press
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.”
What vitamins do we know are beneficial for living in the UAE
Vitamin D: Highly relevant in the UAE due to limited sun exposure; supports bone health, immunity and mood.
Vitamin B12: Important for nerve health and energy production, especially for vegetarians, vegans and individuals with absorption issues.
Iron: Useful only when deficiency or anaemia is confirmed; helps reduce fatigue and support immunity.
Omega-3 (EPA/DHA): Supports heart health and reduces inflammation, especially for those who consume little fish.
Fixtures:
Wed Aug 29 – Malaysia v Hong Kong, Nepal v Oman, UAE v Singapore
Thu Aug 30 - UAE v Nepal, Hong Kong v Singapore, Malaysia v Oman
Sat Sep 1 - UAE v Hong Kong, Oman v Singapore, Malaysia v Nepal
Sun Sep 2 – Hong Kong v Oman, Malaysia v UAE, Nepal v Singapore
Tue Sep 4 - Malaysia v Singapore, UAE v Oman, Nepal v Hong Kong
Thu Sep 6 – Final
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
Financial considerations before buying a property
Buyers should try to pay as much in cash as possible for a property, limiting the mortgage value to as little as they can afford. This means they not only pay less in interest but their monthly costs are also reduced. Ideally, the monthly mortgage payment should not exceed 20 per cent of the purchaser’s total household income, says Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching.
“If it’s a rental property, plan for the property to have periods when it does not have a tenant. Ensure you have enough cash set aside to pay the mortgage and other costs during these periods, ideally at least six months,” she says.
Also, shop around for the best mortgage interest rate. Understand the terms and conditions, especially what happens after any introductory periods, Ms Glynn adds.
Using a good mortgage broker is worth the investment to obtain the best rate available for a buyer’s needs and circumstances. A good mortgage broker will help the buyer understand the terms and conditions of the mortgage and make the purchasing process efficient and easier.
How to get there
Emirates (www.emirates.com) flies directly to Hanoi, Vietnam, with fares starting from around Dh2,725 return, while Etihad (www.etihad.com) fares cost about Dh2,213 return with a stop. Chuong is 25 kilometres south of Hanoi.
Quick pearls of wisdom
Focus on gratitude: And do so deeply, he says. “Think of one to three things a day that you’re grateful for. It needs to be specific, too, don’t just say ‘air.’ Really think about it. If you’re grateful for, say, what your parents have done for you, that will motivate you to do more for the world.”
Know how to fight: Shetty married his wife, Radhi, three years ago (he met her in a meditation class before he went off and became a monk). He says they’ve had to learn to respect each other’s “fighting styles” – he’s a talk it-out-immediately person, while she needs space to think. “When you’re having an argument, remember, it’s not you against each other. It’s both of you against the problem. When you win, they lose. If you’re on a team you have to win together.”
![October 7, 2021. Venezuela 1 (Ramirez 11') Brazil 3 (Marquinhos 71', Barbosa pen 85', Antony 90 + 5'): Three second-half goals saw Brazil recover from a goal down and maintain their 100 per cent record, extending their lead at the top of qualifying to eight points. "It was a complicated match, we started well below [the level] we are accustomed to," Marquinhos said. "It's hard to get a result but results are what count." Reuters](https://www.thenationalnews.com/resizer/v2/P6BLUIOW2N34RREVI2WJQ4PQDY.jpg?smart=true&auth=89b2608581549ad39b781b6869823a23ebaeb9bbf32a8fc2e4f8f13c7acd1251&width=800&height=450)
![November 11, 2021. Brazil 1 (Paqueta 72') Colombia 0: Three points for Brazil saw them become the first South American team to qualify for Qatar. The game also marked their 10th consecutive home qualifier without conceding a goal. “I cried of happiness [after scoring] because of this moment I am living at the national team and at my club Lyon. This came from a lot of joy, joy for this work well done," Lucas Paqueta said.](https://www.thenationalnews.com/resizer/v2/GSL7VTILZNB4247EOH66T3MB3Y.jpg?smart=true&auth=b8f5ab48ceb7a7dcda4ef87c51790c35e461461775bc87b783159cf2425e338a&width=800&height=450)
![Tuesday, March 29, 2022. Bolivia 0 Brazil 4 (Paqueta 24', Richarlison 45', 90'+1', Guimaraes 66'): A superb performance from Brazil meant Tite's team reached 45 points, a new World Cup qualifying record. "Yes, [the team exceeded] any expectations I could have on the performance, in both qualitative and quantitative terms," Tite said. AP](https://www.thenationalnews.com/resizer/v2/2HYJW3FKSIK4CS363ZVLWPD74A.jpg?smart=true&auth=e705cf1406a5fee3121be04e6586bd71628ff5b78882727e99df56ef5754d78f&width=800&height=450)
