Jordan Larsson, the son of Henrik Larsson, is plying his trade for NEC in the Dutch Eredevisie. Getty Images
Jordan Larsson, the son of Henrik Larsson, is plying his trade for NEC in the Dutch Eredevisie. Getty Images

Around Europe: Jordan Larsson, Justin Kluivert and the sons of former stars making their own way in football



Jordan Larsson was five years old when his father learnt, with a heavy heart, just how complicated a man’s success can seem through the eyes of a young son.

Henrik Larsson, adored at Celtic, admired at Barcelona, and highly valued at Feyenoord and Manchester United, was at the 2002 World Cup playing for Sweden, when he called home from Japan.

His country had just sealed a place in the tournament’s knockout rounds. His family had watched on television the draw against Argentina that put Sweden through.

“Jordan,” recalled his father, “burst into tears when we scored. He said: ‘That means Dad’s not coming home’.”

Henrik Larsson retold the story one day, a little over three years later, as he watched his son kicking a ball around at Barcelona’s Camp Nou stadium. Eight-year-old Jordan was showing some adept skills by then, recognising that football was something to make time for, whatever the sacrifices.

Last weekend, the same Jordan Larsson made his debut for NEC of Nijmegen in the same Dutch top division where Henrik first played for Feyenoord at the age of 22.

Like dad, Jordan had moved to the Netherlands from Swedish club Helsingborgs. He has a few years’ head start. Jordan is 19.

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Read more

■ Diego Forlan: His thoughts on the Dimitri Payet saga

■ Premier League predictions: Will Spurs win at Man City?

■ Steve Luckings: On Paul Pogba and why he will come good

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The Dutch Eredivise has returned to action after the winter break full of flashbacks. Ajax introduced a substitute, making a league debut for the first-team, into the first half of their win over Zwolle last Sunday, one Justin Kluivert.

The striker will only turn 18 in May, so his precociousness seems genetic. Just like that of Patrick, his father, who in the mid-1990s won a European Cup with Ajax aged 19, and was later, like Henrik Larsson, a centre-forward for Barcelona.

The Kluiverts are a three-generation dynasty of footballers. Kenneth, Patrick’s father played for Surinam, the Caribbean country once colonised by the Dutch; Patrick, born in Amsterdam after his parents settled in the Netherlands, scored 40 goals from 79 caps for the country.

Justin already has caps for the Dutch under 18s and has apparently developed a nice line in irony. “My father was a true striker,” he told reporters with a smile. “I’m a bit more skilful.”

It is a way of handling the inevitable comparisons, the pressures that carrying a celebrated surname can bring.

Patrick Kluivert, who currently has an executive position at Paris Saint-Germain, would remember seeing up close how his former international teammate Jordi Cruyff dealt with being the talented son of the more brilliantly gifted all-time idol of Dutch football, Johan.

The Cruyffs were for a time player and coach at the same club. So were the Larssons. After an extended playing career had ended, Henrik was appointed head coach at Helsingborg.

Jordan was already there, an up-and-coming striker with finishing instincts that many Swedes found reminiscent of … well, you can guess who.

“There will be no favouritism,” Henrik Larsson declared when he became the man in charge of selecting, or not selecting, his son.

There were tough decisions. Henrik Larsson kept his son at the club when Sweden wanted to take Jordan, an under-21 international, to the Olympic Games in Rio last summer.

Helsingborg needed him, insisted Henrik. And when Helsingborg were relegated from the Swedish top flight in November, a small number of the club’s fans attacked both Larssons. Jordan moved on; Henrik left the job.

The young Kluivert and Larsson are the latest offspring of former stars to make a career breakthrough in this, a season of notable heirs.

In Italy, Giovanni Simeone, 21-year-old son of Diego — now coach of Atletico Madrid and former midfield totem of Inter Milan Lazio and Argentina — has registered his first Serie A goals for Genoa.

Federico Chiesa, 19, is making an impression as a striker for Fiorentina, one of several clubs his father, Enrico, scored goals for.

Last month, Enzo Zidane scored his first goal for the Real Madrid first team, introduced as a substitute by the head coach, who he also knows as dad.

Player of the week: Maxime Lopez (Marseille)

Marseille are braced for revolution under a new owner, the American Frank McCourt who promises bigger budgets and with that, a return to former glories. But as the French club chase the likes of former Marseille player Dmitri Payet, a potential star is also emerging from their youth ranks, 19-year-old Maxime Lopez.

Pure Marseille

The surname gives a clue to the branch of the family tree that stretches into Spain, on his father’s side. His mother, meanwhile, is of Algerian origin. But fans of Marseille recognise him as one of their own. He was born in France’s second city, and is a product of the club’s academy, where he enrolled at the age of 14.

Breakthrough campaign

Lopez was voted Ligue 1’s Player of the Month for December, having contributed two assists and a goal to what was a promising run for Marseille. Only two months earlier, he was struggling for minutes on the pitch. With the arrival of Rudi Garcia as manager, Lopez was given the opportunity to show his readiness for first-team football, and has seized it.

Eye for a pass

At just 1.67m tall, Lopez relies on technique rather than physique. His technical gifts are plenty; neat ball skills, a deft turn and the sort of delivery, with a moving ball or a dead one, that might make Marseille have second thoughts about automatically giving Payet the automatic first go at striking attacking free-kicks should the France international — as Payet intends — leave West Ham United to return to the Mediterranean coast.

Nasri’s heir

At Marseille, Lopez is likened to Samir Nasri, now of Sevilla, on loan from Manchester City, and a former Marseille prodigy who had the same comfort on the ball as Lopez shows and the same precocity as a teenager. He has been called up for France’s under-20s, the French Federation enthusiastic about his potential and aware that other countries — Spain or Algeria — might want to explore his eligibility.

Impulsive

France’s under-20 manager, Ludovic Batelli, told Le Parisien newspaper: “We had followed his progress for some time and coming into the first-team at Marseille has given him a peace of my mind. He could be a bit impulsive as younger player. He seems calmer.”

Barcelona link

Inevitably, Lopez’s form has drawn interest from abroad. Liverpool and Arsenal of the Premier League have been monitoring him for a long period. In the last two weeks, reports in Spain highlighted Barcelona’s covetous glances. Marseille, who hope to show their heavyweight credentials in Saturday’s meeting with Lyon, may now have the resources to resist big offers. But they also need to persuade

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AGL AWARDS

Golden Ball - best Emirati player: Khalfan Mubarak (Al Jazira)
Golden Ball - best foreign player: Igor Coronado (Sharjah)
Golden Glove - best goalkeeper: Adel Al Hosani (Sharjah)
Best Coach - the leader: Abdulaziz Al Anbari (Sharjah)
Fans' Player of the Year: Driss Fetouhi (Dibba)
Golden Boy - best young player: Ali Saleh (Al Wasl)
Best Fans of the Year: Sharjah
Goal of the Year: Michael Ortega (Baniyas)

Vidaamuyarchi

Director: Magizh Thirumeni

Stars: Ajith Kumar, Arjun Sarja, Trisha Krishnan, Regina Cassandra

Rating: 4/5

 

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

Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
 
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
 
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
 
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
 
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
Gully Boy

Director: Zoya Akhtar
Producer: Excel Entertainment & Tiger Baby
Cast: Ranveer Singh, Alia Bhatt, Kalki Koechlin, Siddhant Chaturvedi​​​​​​​
Rating: 4/5 stars

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
Other workplace saving schemes
  • The UAE government announced a retirement savings plan for private and free zone sector employees in 2023.
  • Dubai’s savings retirement scheme for foreign employees working in the emirate’s government and public sector came into effect in 2022.
  • National Bonds unveiled a Golden Pension Scheme in 2022 to help private-sector foreign employees with their financial planning.
  • In April 2021, Hayah Insurance unveiled a workplace savings plan to help UAE employees save for their retirement.
  • Lunate, an Abu Dhabi-based investment manager, has launched a fund that will allow UAE private companies to offer employees investment returns on end-of-service benefits.
Guide to intelligent investing
Investing success often hinges on discipline and perspective. As markets fluctuate, remember these guiding principles:
  • Stay invested: Time in the market, not timing the market, is critical to long-term gains.
  • Rational thinking: Breathe and avoid emotional decision-making; let logic and planning guide your actions.
  • Strategic patience: Understand why you’re investing and allow time for your strategies to unfold.
 
 
WORLD RECORD FEES FOR GOALKEEPERS

1) Kepa Arrizabalaga, Athletic Bilbao to Chelsea (£72m)

2) Alisson, Roma to Liverpool (£67m)

3) Ederson, Benfica to Manchester City (£35m)

4) Gianluigi Buffon, Parma to Juventus (£33m)

5) Angelo Peruzzi, Inter Milan to Lazio (£15.7m

Fireball

Moscow claimed it hit the largest military fuel storage facility in Ukraine, triggering a huge fireball at the site.

A plume of black smoke rose from a fuel storage facility in the village of Kalynivka outside Kyiv on Friday after Russia said it had destroyed the military site with Kalibr cruise missiles.

"On the evening of March 24, Kalibr high-precision sea-based cruise missiles attacked a fuel base in the village of Kalynivka near Kyiv," the Russian defence ministry said in a statement.

Ukraine confirmed the strike, saying the village some 40 kilometres south-west of Kyiv was targeted.

SPECS

Toyota land Cruiser 2020 5.7L VXR

Engine: 5.7-litre V8

Transmission: eight-speed automatic

Power: 362hp

Torque: 530Nm

Price: Dh329,000 (base model 4.0L EXR Dh215,900)

COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDate%20started%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202020%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Khaldoon%20Bushnaq%20and%20Tariq%20Seksek%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Abu%20Dhabi%20Global%20Market%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20HealthTech%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20staff%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20100%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunding%20to%20date%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%2415%20million%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
How to protect yourself when air quality drops

Install an air filter in your home.

Close your windows and turn on the AC.

Shower or bath after being outside.

Wear a face mask.

Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.

If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.

Match info

Deccan Gladiators 87-8

Asif Khan 25, Dwayne Bravo 2-16

Maratha Arabians 89-2

Chadwick Walton 51 not out

Arabians won the final by eight wickets

Diriyah%20project%20at%20a%20glance
%3Cp%3E-%20Diriyah%E2%80%99s%201.9km%20King%20Salman%20Boulevard%2C%20a%20Parisian%20Champs-Elysees-inspired%20avenue%2C%20is%20scheduled%20for%20completion%20in%202028%3Cbr%3E-%20The%20Royal%20Diriyah%20Opera%20House%20is%20expected%20to%20be%20completed%20in%20four%20years%3Cbr%3E-%20Diriyah%E2%80%99s%20first%20of%2042%20hotels%2C%20the%20Bab%20Samhan%20hotel%2C%20will%20open%20in%20the%20first%20quarter%20of%202024%3Cbr%3E-%20On%20completion%20in%202030%2C%20the%20Diriyah%20project%20is%20forecast%20to%20accommodate%20more%20than%20100%2C000%20people%3Cbr%3E-%20The%20%2463.2%20billion%20Diriyah%20project%20will%20contribute%20%247.2%20billion%20to%20the%20kingdom%E2%80%99s%20GDP%3Cbr%3E-%20It%20will%20create%20more%20than%20178%2C000%20jobs%20and%20aims%20to%20attract%20more%20than%2050%20million%20visits%20a%20year%3Cbr%3E-%20About%202%2C000%20people%20work%20for%20the%20Diriyah%20Company%2C%20with%20more%20than%2086%20per%20cent%20being%20Saudi%20citizens%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The%20new%20Turing%20Test
%3Cp%3EThe%20Coffee%20Test%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cem%3EA%20machine%20is%20required%20to%20enter%20an%20average%20American%20home%20and%20figure%20out%20how%20to%20make%20coffee%3A%20find%20the%20coffee%20machine%2C%20find%20the%20coffee%2C%20add%20water%2C%20find%20a%20mug%20and%20brew%20the%20coffee%20by%20pushing%20the%20proper%20buttons.%3C%2Fem%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EProposed%20by%20Steve%20Wozniak%2C%20Apple%20co-founder%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
WHAT%20MACRO%20FACTORS%20ARE%20IMPACTING%20META%20TECH%20MARKETS%3F
%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Looming%20global%20slowdown%20and%20recession%20in%20key%20economies%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Russia-Ukraine%20war%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Interest%20rate%20hikes%20and%20the%20rising%20cost%20of%20debt%20servicing%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Oil%20price%20volatility%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Persisting%20inflationary%20pressures%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Exchange%20rate%20fluctuations%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Shortage%20of%20labour%2Fskills%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20A%20resurgence%20of%20Covid%3F%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
If you go...

Etihad Airways flies from Abu Dhabi to Kuala Lumpur, from about Dh3,600. Air Asia currently flies from Kuala Lumpur to Terengganu, with Berjaya Hotels & Resorts planning to launch direct chartered flights to Redang Island in the near future. Rooms at The Taaras Beach and Spa Resort start from 680RM (Dh597).

if you go

The flights
Emirates flies to Delhi with fares starting from around Dh760 return, while Etihad fares cost about Dh783 return. From Delhi, there are connecting flights to Lucknow. 
Where to stay
It is advisable to stay in Lucknow and make a day trip to Kannauj. A stay at the Lebua Lucknow hotel, a traditional Lucknowi mansion, is recommended. Prices start from Dh300 per night (excluding taxes). 

COMPANY PROFILE
Name: ARDH Collective
Based: Dubai
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Sector: Sustainability
Total funding: Self funded
Number of employees: 4
Milestones on the road to union

1970

October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar. 

December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.

1971

March 1:  Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.

July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.

July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.

August 6:  The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.

August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.

September 3: Qatar becomes independent.

November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.

November 29:  At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.

November 30: Despite  a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa. 

November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties

December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.

December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.

December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.

Company profile

Company name: Dharma

Date started: 2018

Founders: Charaf El Mansouri, Nisma Benani, Leah Howe

Based: Abu Dhabi

Sector: TravelTech

Funding stage: Pre-series A 

Investors: Convivialite Ventures, BY Partners, Shorooq Partners, L& Ventures, Flat6Labs

German intelligence warnings
  • 2002: "Hezbollah supporters feared becoming a target of security services because of the effects of [9/11] ... discussions on Hezbollah policy moved from mosques into smaller circles in private homes." Supporters in Germany: 800
  • 2013: "Financial and logistical support from Germany for Hezbollah in Lebanon supports the armed struggle against Israel ... Hezbollah supporters in Germany hold back from actions that would gain publicity." Supporters in Germany: 950
  • 2023: "It must be reckoned with that Hezbollah will continue to plan terrorist actions outside the Middle East against Israel or Israeli interests." Supporters in Germany: 1,250 

Source: Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution

In the Restaurant: Society in Four Courses
Christoph Ribbat
Translated by Jamie Searle Romanelli
Pushkin Press 

How to avoid crypto fraud
  • Use unique usernames and passwords while enabling multi-factor authentication.
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