It's 7am and Sharjah International Airport is abuzz with talk of a missing person.
Saudi football fans, wearing the recognisable green jersey of their national team, approach a group of Argentine supporters at the departure gates feigning deep concern.
“Excuse me,” says a young woman wearing the Saudi team scarf.
“We are just looking for Messi? Have you seen him?”
Her cheeky inquiry is a joke that went viral on social media after Saudi Arabia’s stunning World Cup victory against Argentina — a match in which Lionel Messi’s powers were rendered mute by the efficient Saudi defence.
The quip has become so popular it is now the standard Qatar World Cup greeting when seeing a Saudi football fan in public, with the reply often being variations of “he’s in my pocket.”
To their credit, the Argentines took the dig with grace and dished some shade of their own.
When realising their Saudi counterparts were joining them on their flight to Doha to experience the World Cup, they correctly predicted the Saudi side would be out of the tournament “before Sunday breakfast.”
It was a lovely moment epitomising the fun rivalry and regional pride that is coming to define the Qatar World Cup.
‘It feels like a wedding’
While the tournament is marketed as a global sporting celebration, on the ground and through the eyes of supporters from the region, this is an Arab tournament where the rest of world are invited as honourable guests.
Such a view must mean fans' support is shared — within reason — across all regional teams, thus making their matches feel like home games.
This was the hunch some friends and I acted on when we decided to watch Mena teams play at the tournament, instead of giant sides such as Brazil, France and Germany.
Our collective effort in scouring the official ticketing site bore fruit with access to matches featuring Tunisia and Morocco.
We were not only rewarded with two of the most pulsating games of the tournament, but we were given an affecting insight into fan culture, transcending the colours of jerseys and encompassing a shared history and heritage.
With many employers in Qatar offering flexible working hours during the first week of the World Cup, communities from the Mena region were able to gather to watch the games.
“This feels like a wedding,” said Tunisian fan Abdi Hamad, while standing amid a sea of supporters from his homeland outside the gates of Al Janoub Stadium an hour before his team's kick-off against Australia.
“There are about 40,000 Tunisians here in Qatar and we work in various areas like education, medicine and like me in hospitality.
"We try to create events where we can see each other but it has been tough with Covid-19 and everyone being busy.
“So seeing our countrymen play in our second home here in Qatar is the perfect chance for all of us to go out.”
And that solidarity is also heard, both in the roars reverberating through the stadium and in the whispers emanating from the venue’s numerous prayer halls during the half-time break.
When entering the space for the noon prayer, an excited Tunisian fan implores me to supplicate for a victory.
They lost to the Aussies, but perhaps a victory can be found in the sight of a community reconnected after the hardships of the past two years.
A home from home
Meanwhile, at Souq Waqif in central Doha, thousands of Moroccan fans were celebrating prior to the next day’s match against their arch rivals Belgium.
At the main courtyard near the gates of the landmark, supporters were singing folk songs and the national anthem.
“We feel comfortable here,” said Moroccan fan Abdelhadi Mountaki, who had travelled to Doha from the Austrian city of Graz.
“I have been here for three days now and what surprised me about the World Cup here is that I feel at home.
“A lot of times when Arab and African teams play, the supporters feel like we are in the minority and we really can’t express ourselves like we want to. This World Cup is different. We are now the home team and we will celebrate and support our teams in a big way.”
True to his word, Mountaki was part of the 40,000-strong crowd that turned Al Thumama Stadium in Doha into a melting pot, where the Belgians succumbed to another shock defeat.
The party atmosphere continued as we left the stadium, with fans chanting football songs and video-calling family members in Morocco to fill them in.
Draped in the Moroccan flag and cheeks smeared with streaks of red and green, Filali Said, from Tangier, couldn't decide whether he was emotional because of the victory or from the strain of a long day on his feet.
"I am tired but so happy. This is one of those moments you tell your friends and family; that you were there to see history," he says.
"The atmosphere felt like we were back in Morocco and the team felt this love from all the Arab and African fans here in Qatar with us."
With the knockout stages of the World Cup beginning on Saturday, the climb for Mena teams to the tournament's summit will feel steep, as the big sides such as Spain and Brazil show off their winning credentials.
Messi has also been seemingly found, with a commanding performance in Argentina’s victory against Mexico.
Although it appears that footballing laws of nature are steadily being restored, the Qatar World Cup has already proved that the Mena region, through its big-hearted fans and brave teams, is a force to be reckoned with.
The best football fans at the Qatar World Cup 2022 so far — in pictures
Zayed Sustainability Prize
The biog
Born: Kuwait in 1986
Family: She is the youngest of seven siblings
Time in the UAE: 10 years
Hobbies: audiobooks and fitness: she works out every day, enjoying kickboxing and basketball
Skoda Superb Specs
Engine: 2-litre TSI petrol
Power: 190hp
Torque: 320Nm
Price: From Dh147,000
Available: Now
BMW M5 specs
Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
Power: 727hp
Torque: 1,000Nm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km
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MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg
Bayern Munich v Real Madrid
When: April 25, 10.45pm kick-off (UAE)
Where: Allianz Arena, Munich
Live: BeIN Sports HD
Second leg: May 1, Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid
Avatar: Fire and Ash
Director: James Cameron
Starring: Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, Zoe Saldana
Rating: 4.5/5
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Our legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
BANGLADESH SQUAD
Mashrafe Mortaza (captain), Tamim Iqbal, Liton Das, Soumya Sarkar, Mushfiqur Rahim (wicketkeeper), Mahmudullah, Shakib Al Hasan (vice captain), Mohammad Mithun, Sabbir Rahaman, Mosaddek Hossain, Mohammad Saifuddin, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Rubel Hossain, Mustafizur Rahman, Abu Jayed (Reporting by Rohith Nair in Bengaluru Editing by Amlan Chakraborty)
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.
The nine articles of the 50-Year Charter
1. Dubai silk road
2. A geo-economic map for Dubai
3. First virtual commercial city
4. A central education file for every citizen
5. A doctor to every citizen
6. Free economic and creative zones in universities
7. Self-sufficiency in Dubai homes
8. Co-operative companies in various sectors
9: Annual growth in philanthropy
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%20Ramez%20Gab%20Min%20El%20Akher
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECreator%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Ramez%20Galal%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Ramez%20Galal%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStreaming%20on%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EMBC%20Shahid%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2.5%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Engine: 3.5-litre V6
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Power: 290hp
Torque: 340Nm
Price: Dh155,800
On sale: now
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%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EPowertrain%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESingle%20electric%20motor%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E201hp%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E310Nm%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESingle-speed%20auto%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBattery%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E53kWh%20lithium-ion%20battery%20pack%20(GS%20base%20model)%3B%2070kWh%20battery%20pack%20(GF)%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETouring%20range%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E350km%20(GS)%3B%20480km%20(GF)%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFrom%20Dh129%2C900%20(GS)%3B%20Dh149%2C000%20(GF)%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Now%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Slow loris biog
From: Lonely Loris is a Sunda slow loris, one of nine species of the animal native to Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Singapore
Status: Critically endangered, and listed as vulnerable on the International Union for Conservation of Nature red list due to growing demand in the global exotic pet trade. It is one of the most popular primate species found at Indonesian pet markets
Likes: Sleeping, which they do for up to 18 hours a day. When they are awake, they like to eat fruit, insects, small birds and reptiles and some types of vegetation
Dislikes: Sunlight. Being a nocturnal animal, the slow loris wakes around sunset and is active throughout the night
Superpowers: His dangerous elbows. The slow loris’s doe eyes may make it look cute, but it is also deadly. The only known venomous primate, it hisses and clasps its paws and can produce a venom from its elbow that can cause anaphylactic shock and even death in humans
The Birkin bag is made by Hermès.
It is named after actress and singer Jane Birkin
Noone from Hermès will go on record to say how much a new Birkin costs, how long one would have to wait to get one, and how many bags are actually made each year.
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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.
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.”
