Seydou Doumbia, the CSKA Moscow striker, returned to Russia on Wednesday as a headline-making hero after his two goals earned victory, 2-1, away at Manchester City in the Uefa Champions League. Doumbia, whose CSKA face Dinamo in a Moscow derby on Sunday, is becoming City's nemesis: In four matches against them, he has scored five times.
His path
The 26 year old has had a roundabout journey to the elite level of the game. As a child, he was brought up mainly by his grandparents, his father absent and his mother still very young when she had him. He started earning for a family of limited means at the age of 11, selling packets of paper handkerchiefs to motorists stuck in traffic on the roads of Abidjan, the biggest city in his native Ivory Coast.
At the academy
Football gave him an alternative path. He enrolled in one of Abidjan’s many academies, Inter FC, which was attached to a second-division club. By 17, he was the Ivorian top flight’s highest scorer for a season, with AS Denguele. He had hopes of playing in France, and interest from Ligue 1 clubs, but could not secure a visa.
Going east
So he took a less orthodox route: to Japan. At Kashiwa Reysol, he was marginalised, but he enjoyed some success on loan in the second division with Tokushima Vortis, on Shikoku island. Then came his lucky break. The Ivory Coast were playing in the Kirin Cup tournament in Japan in 2008. Several players dropped out or suffered injury, so Doumbia got an unexpected call-up. He won a first cap and impressed with his pace and strength.
To Europe
A transfer to Switzerland followed. At Young Boys Berne, he was the Swiss Player of the Year and the league’s top scorer awards in successive years. AC Milan scouted him, but CSKA swooped. He has been with them since 2010 and has twice been the Russian Premier League’s leading marksman, including last season.
International
Disappointed to be left out of Ivory Coast's 2014 World Cup squad, he announced his retirement from internationals, but has since rescinded. He cites a compatriot, Chelsea's Didier Drogba, as a major influence on his career. With Drogba now retired from the Ivorian team, Doumbia has an opportunity to fill the spearhead striker role for Les Elephants.
sports@thenational.ae
Follow us on Twitter at @SprtNationalUAE
A new relationship with the old country
Treaty of Friendship between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates
The United kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates; Considering that the United Arab Emirates has assumed full responsibility as a sovereign and independent State; Determined that the long-standing and traditional relations of close friendship and cooperation between their peoples shall continue; Desiring to give expression to this intention in the form of a Treaty Friendship; Have agreed as follows:
ARTICLE 1 The relations between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates shall be governed by a spirit of close friendship. In recognition of this, the Contracting Parties, conscious of their common interest in the peace and stability of the region, shall: (a) consult together on matters of mutual concern in time of need; (b) settle all their disputes by peaceful means in conformity with the provisions of the Charter of the United Nations.
ARTICLE 2 The Contracting Parties shall encourage education, scientific and cultural cooperation between the two States in accordance with arrangements to be agreed. Such arrangements shall cover among other things: (a) the promotion of mutual understanding of their respective cultures, civilisations and languages, the promotion of contacts among professional bodies, universities and cultural institutions; (c) the encouragement of technical, scientific and cultural exchanges.
ARTICLE 3 The Contracting Parties shall maintain the close relationship already existing between them in the field of trade and commerce. Representatives of the Contracting Parties shall meet from time to time to consider means by which such relations can be further developed and strengthened, including the possibility of concluding treaties or agreements on matters of mutual concern.
ARTICLE 4 This Treaty shall enter into force on today’s date and shall remain in force for a period of ten years. Unless twelve months before the expiry of the said period of ten years either Contracting Party shall have given notice to the other of its intention to terminate the Treaty, this Treaty shall remain in force thereafter until the expiry of twelve months from the date on which notice of such intention is given.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF the undersigned have signed this Treaty.
DONE in duplicate at Dubai the second day of December 1971AD, corresponding to the fifteenth day of Shawwal 1391H, in the English and Arabic languages, both texts being equally authoritative.
Signed
Geoffrey Arthur Sheikh Zayed
Company%20Profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Astra%20Tech%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EMarch%202022%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDubai%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounder%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EAbdallah%20Abu%20Sheikh%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EIndustry%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20technology%20investment%20and%20development%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunding%20size%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%24500m%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
