The success of Morocco at the World Cup will help grow the size of the fan base for African and Arab football, according to Manchester City winger Riyad Mahrez.
The Atlas Lions face Portugal in the last eight of the Fifa World Cup Qatar 2022 on Saturday evening after defeating other European giants such as Spain and Belgium on the way. The fervour and number of their fans have been highlights of the competition and their support has extended beyond just Moroccans to Arabs across the region and the world.
“Of course, it's very good to see this team doing well on the biggest stages like the World Cup,” said Mahrez, who is Algeria’s captain and winner of the African Cup of Nations in 2019.
Morocco are the fourth African side to ever make it to a World Cup quarter-final, and they are the first Arab team to do so. They are bidding to become the first African side to reach a World Cup semi-final.
“I am really proud and really happy,” Mahrez told The National after a small-sided, quick passing, training session for Manchester City in Abu Dhabi. Many clubs from England’s Premier League have chosen to take time away during the exceptional break in the season thanks to the World Cup.
Mahrez was relaxed about the impact the time off could have of the remainder of the season after the World Cup ends on December 18. The Premier League starts again on December 26.
“There was only two weeks’ break [and then] there’s all the ones playing in the World Cup,” Mahrez said. “Everyone’s going to come back fit and come back to start again to try to achieve things.”
He signed a new two-year contract extension in the summer which will keep the 31-year-old at the club until June 2025. He is excited about his prospects for the remainder of the season.
“I’ve already scored five goals [and] I didn't play a lot, to be fair. I think the second half of the season is going to be way better for me and [bring] more goals to help the team,” he said.
He said he is also enjoying playing alongside “goal machine” Erling Haaland, signed in the summer.
“He’s a very good striker … he’s here to score goals. Really good movement and a big presence in the box. Really happy to have him,” Mahrez said of the Norwegian.
Haaland has already scored 23 goals for Manchester City in all competitions this season. He looked relaxed on the Emirates Palace pitch as he did some light training on his own before making dozens of fans, including children in City kit, happy by going over to sign autographs and pose for pictures. His teammates including Mahrez also joined in with the interactions with the fans.
For Manchester City, they have a tough fixture in the League Cup at home to fierce rivals Liverpool on December 22.
Manager Pep Guardiola told the crowd gathered after the training session, he was focused on that match first but that he was philosophical about his side’s chances of bringing more trophies to the Etihad, “especially the Premier League and arriving in the best condition in the Champions League”.
“We will see what happens … football is unpredictable [and] we will do out best,”
Most of City’s big stars have been away on international duty but there will still some familiar names in Abu Dhabi apart from Mahrez and Haaland. Veteran goalkeeper Scott Carson and German keeper Stefan Ortega are both with the squad in Abu Dhabi. As is English midfielder Cole Palmer.
Also at Emirates Palace was Sergio Gomez, who made his City debut this season, after joining from Anderlecht in Belgium.
“Now all the team has to be focused on the Premier League and the Champions League and the cups and they don't think about the World Cup you know, because the World Cup, it now is passed and now we are focused on the on the next challenge,” said 22-year old Spaniard, who can play in midfield or left-back, said.
UAE squad to face Ireland
Ahmed Raza (captain), Chirag Suri (vice-captain), Rohan Mustafa, Mohammed Usman, Mohammed Boota, Zahoor Khan, Junaid Siddique, Waheed Ahmad, Zawar Farid, CP Rizwaan, Aryan Lakra, Karthik Meiyappan, Alishan Sharafu, Basil Hameed, Kashif Daud, Adithya Shetty, Vriitya Aravind
The Case For Trump
By Victor Davis Hanson
How the bonus system works
The two riders are among several riders in the UAE to receive the top payment of £10,000 under the Thank You Fund of £16 million (Dh80m), which was announced in conjunction with Deliveroo's £8 billion (Dh40bn) stock market listing earlier this year.
The £10,000 (Dh50,000) payment is made to those riders who have completed the highest number of orders in each market.
There are also riders who will receive payments of £1,000 (Dh5,000) and £500 (Dh2,500).
All riders who have worked with Deliveroo for at least one year and completed 2,000 orders will receive £200 (Dh1,000), the company said when it announced the scheme.
From Zero
Artist: Linkin Park
Label: Warner Records
Number of tracks: 11
Rating: 4/5
Who was Alfred Nobel?
The Nobel Prize was created by wealthy Swedish chemist and entrepreneur Alfred Nobel.
- In his will he dictated that the bulk of his estate should be used to fund "prizes to those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind".
- Nobel is best known as the inventor of dynamite, but also wrote poetry and drama and could speak Russian, French, English and German by the age of 17. The five original prize categories reflect the interests closest to his heart.
- Nobel died in 1896 but it took until 1901, following a legal battle over his will, before the first prizes were awarded.
MATCH INFO
Chelsea 1 (Hudson-Odoi 90 1')
Manchester City 3 (Gundogan 18', Foden 21', De Bruyne 34')
Man of the match: Ilkay Gundogan (Man City)
Why it pays to compare
A comparison of sending Dh20,000 from the UAE using two different routes at the same time - the first direct from a UAE bank to a bank in Germany, and the second from the same UAE bank via an online platform to Germany - found key differences in cost and speed. The transfers were both initiated on January 30.
Route 1: bank transfer
The UAE bank charged Dh152.25 for the Dh20,000 transfer. On top of that, their exchange rate margin added a difference of around Dh415, compared with the mid-market rate.
Total cost: Dh567.25 - around 2.9 per cent of the total amount
Total received: €4,670.30
Route 2: online platform
The UAE bank’s charge for sending Dh20,000 to a UK dirham-denominated account was Dh2.10. The exchange rate margin cost was Dh60, plus a Dh12 fee.
Total cost: Dh74.10, around 0.4 per cent of the transaction
Total received: €4,756
The UAE bank transfer was far quicker – around two to three working days, while the online platform took around four to five days, but was considerably cheaper. In the online platform transfer, the funds were also exposed to currency risk during the period it took for them to arrive.
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
Ibrahim's play list
Completed an electrical diploma at the Adnoc Technical Institute
Works as a public relations officer with Adnoc
Apart from the piano, he plays the accordion, oud and guitar
His favourite composer is Johann Sebastian Bach
Also enjoys listening to Mozart
Likes all genres of music including Arabic music and jazz
Enjoys rock groups Scorpions and Metallica
Other musicians he likes are Syrian-American pianist Malek Jandali and Lebanese oud player Rabih Abou Khalil
Aayan%E2%80%99s%20records
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Turkish Ladies
Various artists, Sony Music Turkey
Who has lived at The Bishops Avenue?
- George Sainsbury of the supermarket dynasty, sugar magnate William Park Lyle and actress Dame Gracie Fields were residents in the 1930s when the street was only known as ‘Millionaires’ Row’.
- Then came the international super rich, including the last king of Greece, Constantine II, the Sultan of Brunei and Indian steel magnate Lakshmi Mittal who was at one point ranked the third richest person in the world.
- Turkish tycoon Halis Torprak sold his mansion for £50m in 2008 after spending just two days there. The House of Saud sold 10 properties on the road in 2013 for almost £80m.
- Other residents have included Iraqi businessman Nemir Kirdar, singer Ariana Grande, holiday camp impresario Sir Billy Butlin, businessman Asil Nadir, Paul McCartney’s former wife Heather Mills.
Hunting park to luxury living
- Land was originally the Bishop of London's hunting park, hence the name
- The road was laid out in the mid 19th Century, meandering through woodland and farmland
- Its earliest houses at the turn of the 20th Century were substantial detached properties with extensive grounds
The biog
Name: Mariam Ketait
Emirate: Dubai
Hobbies: I enjoy travelling, experiencing new things, painting, reading, flying, and the French language
Favourite quote: "Be the change you wish to see" - unknown
Favourite activity: Connecting with different cultures
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