For Thamer Al Wajaan, seeing Cristiano Ronaldo in the Al Nassr jersey, not far from him on the pitch at Mrsool Park, was a moment he will never forget.
“It was the most beautiful day in my life,” Al Wajaan said on Wednesday afternoon in Riyadh, less than 24 hours after the player's unveiling. “Because I watched Ronaldo since I was a kid. We grew up together.
"Imagine if your favourite player came across the world and became a player for your favourite team also. It was amazing.”
A lifelong Nassr fan, Al Wajaan was not going to miss Ronaldo’s big introduction. Having earlier on Tuesday finalised his two-and-a-half-year contract with the Saudi Pro League leaders, the five-time Ballon d’Or winner was paraded in front of supporters at a sold-out Mrsool Park.
Nassr had announced the event only on Monday – Ronaldo’s signing was confirmed last Friday – and thus tickets for the 25,000-seater stadium were understandably in hot demand.
That wasn’t going to stop Al Wajaan, though.
“It was difficult,” he says. “I was searching on three iPhones and my laptop also. I got lucky. I just refreshed the page … there were 60,000 people in the page … I just wait, and I refresh, and I wait. For two hours. And, finally, I got my ticket. I was so happy.”
Al Wajaan, who lives in Riyadh but studied in the US, went with seven of his friends. Even one who supports Al Hilal, Nassr’s fierce rivals from across the capital.
“He was happy because he’s also Saudi,” Al Wajaan says, still struggling to put into words his club’s latest recruit. “When it was announced, I couldn’t believe that. I still can’t believe it. Even yesterday, I wasn’t sure if it was Cristiano Ronaldo, I was just looking to see if it was fake. But dreams became true.”
Al Wajaan is sure Ronaldo, 38 next month, will be a hit in Saudi Arabia. The nine-time champions sit top of the Saudi Pro League after 11 matches, one point ahead of Al Shabab.
The Asian Champions League, too, represents an obvious goal. It remains the one trophy that has thus far eluded Nassr – Hilal are the current continental champions, winning four in all.
“I’m sure Ronaldo will be a success in Al Nassr because he’s a good player,” Al Wajaan says. “I’m sure he will score a lot of goals. I hope, because I love him. And I hope he gets the Asian Champions League, because Al Nassr needs it.”
Al Wajaan feels not only Nassr will benefit, however. But the whole region.
“It’s very important to have a player such as Ronaldo – it’s not Al Nassr only, it’s Saudi Arabia, or the Middle East to be honest,” Al Wajaan says. “You know the Instagram account for Al Nassr, before it was 800,000. Today it was eight million.
“So that means a lot of money to the club and a lot of interest. We became famous. Like [Real] Madrid, I hope.”
Al Wajaan was speaking at the Nassr club store on King Fahd Road in Al Olaya, where he was buying the team’s second jersey. It was to soon have “Ronaldo 7” on the back.
Not far from him, Ahmed Al Shakra was clutching three Nassr home shirts. Although a Hilal fan, he was there in his role as dutiful father: his three young sons, somehow, support the yellow-and-blues.
“I am very happy, for sure,” Al Shakra said. “I like Hilal, but my sons are all Nassr. And they love Ronaldo. He is the top in the whole world, so now I have to take them to all the matches. For sure, inshallah.”
Deem Naif and Omar Naif hope to attend future matches, also. The siblings love Nassr, but Ronaldo’s presence only deepens the affinity.
“I think it’s a very good deal for Ronaldo to come to Al Nassr,” Deem Naif says, smiling wide. “I didn’t find any tickets for last night. But I’ve been to one match, it was so beautiful. Of course, I will go again – because of Ronaldo.”
Like her brother, who described Ronaldo’s signing as an “amazing moment”, Deem envisages only success for her beloved side.
“Al Nassr will now be a very good team,” she says. “Ronaldo will be a very important player for Al Nassr. [Brazilian forward] Talisca and Ronaldo will be very good partners, inshallah. Al Nassr is the best in the world.”
Maybe they’ll be known throughout the world now. The Rodriguez family, from Colombia, followed the former Manchester United, Real Madrid and Juventus star at the recent World Cup in Qatar – the Portugal captain sits as the all-time leading goalscorer in men’s international football – and before heading back to their homeland came to Riyadh to experience “Ronaldo mania”.
“Because my sons play football, they love Ronaldo,” Carlos Mauricio says before buying 12 different Nassr garments for his sons. “Because Ronaldo is a very good gentleman, very competent, has a good attitude, without tattoos. Good family, good people. He is a role model.”
Patently, son Salvatore agrees.
“Because Ronaldo is a very good guy, a very good idol, and a very good player too," he says. “The move to Al Nassr is very good for him; he has a new experience.”
Asked if he will now keep a close eye on Nassr’s progress from his native Colombia, Salvatore replies: “Maybe, surely. I might come back to watch him play here.”
6.30pm Meydan Classic Trial US$100,000 (Turf) 1,400m
Winner Bella Fever, Dane O’Neill (jockey), Mike de Kock (trainer).
7.05pm Handicap $135,000 (T) 1,400m
Winner Woven, Harry Bentley, David Simcock.
7.40pm UAE 2000 Guineas Group Three $250,000 (Dirt) 1,600m
Winner Fore Left, William Buick, Doug O’Neill.
8.15pm Dubai Sprint Listed Handicap $175,000 (T) 1,200m
Winner Rusumaat, Dane O’Neill, Musabah Al Muhairi.
8.50pm Al Maktoum Challenge Round-2 Group Two $450,000 (D) 1,900m
Winner Benbatl, Christophe Soumillon, Saeed bin Suroor.
9.25pm Handicap $135,000 (T) 1,800m
Winner Art Du Val, William Buick, Charlie Appleby.
10pm Handicap $135,000 (T) 1,400m
Winner Beyond Reason, William Buick, Charlie Appleby.
Heather, the Totality
Matthew Weiner,
Canongate
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
No more lice
Defining head lice
Pediculus humanus capitis are tiny wingless insects that feed on blood from the human scalp. The adult head louse is up to 3mm long, has six legs, and is tan to greyish-white in colour. The female lives up to four weeks and, once mature, can lay up to 10 eggs per day. These tiny nits firmly attach to the base of the hair shaft, get incubated by body heat and hatch in eight days or so.
Identifying lice
Lice can be identified by itching or a tickling sensation of something moving within the hair. One can confirm that a person has lice by looking closely through the hair and scalp for nits, nymphs or lice. Head lice are most frequently located behind the ears and near the neckline.
Treating lice at home
Head lice must be treated as soon as they are spotted. Start by checking everyone in the family for them, then follow these steps. Remove and wash all clothing and bedding with hot water. Apply medicine according to the label instructions. If some live lice are still found eight to 12 hours after treatment, but are moving more slowly than before, do not re-treat. Comb dead and remaining live lice out of the hair using a fine-toothed comb.
After the initial treatment, check for, comb and remove nits and lice from hair every two to three days. Soak combs and brushes in hot water for 10 minutes.Vacuum the floor and furniture, particularly where the infested person sat or lay.
Courtesy Dr Vishal Rajmal Mehta, specialist paediatrics, RAK Hospital
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
MATCH INFO
Manchester City 1 Chelsea 0
De Bruyne (70')
Man of the Match: Kevin de Bruyne (Manchester City)
Indoor cricket in a nutshell
Indoor Cricket World Cup - Sep 16-20, Insportz, Dubai
16 Indoor cricket matches are 16 overs per side
8 There are eight players per team
9 There have been nine Indoor Cricket World Cups for men. Australia have won every one.
5 Five runs are deducted from the score when a wickets falls
4 Batsmen bat in pairs, facing four overs per partnership
Scoring In indoor cricket, runs are scored by way of both physical and bonus runs. Physical runs are scored by both batsmen completing a run from one crease to the other. Bonus runs are scored when the ball hits a net in different zones, but only when at least one physical run is score.
Zones
A Front net, behind the striker and wicketkeeper: 0 runs
B Side nets, between the striker and halfway down the pitch: 1 run
C Side nets between halfway and the bowlers end: 2 runs
D Back net: 4 runs on the bounce, 6 runs on the full
'Gold'
Director:Anthony Hayes
Stars:Zaf Efron, Anthony Hayes
Rating:3/5
Nepotism is the name of the game
Salman Khan’s father, Salim Khan, is one of Bollywood’s most legendary screenwriters. Through his partnership with co-writer Javed Akhtar, Salim is credited with having paved the path for the Indian film industry’s blockbuster format in the 1970s. Something his son now rules the roost of. More importantly, the Salim-Javed duo also created the persona of the “angry young man” for Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan in the 1970s, reflecting the angst of the average Indian. In choosing to be the ordinary man’s “hero” as opposed to a thespian in new Bollywood, Salman Khan remains tightly linked to his father’s oeuvre. Thanks dad.
The bio
Studied up to grade 12 in Vatanappally, a village in India’s southern Thrissur district
Was a middle distance state athletics champion in school
Enjoys driving to Fujairah and Ras Al Khaimah with family
His dream is to continue working as a social worker and help people
Has seven diaries in which he has jotted down notes about his work and money he earned
Keeps the diaries in his car to remember his journey in the Emirates
Fixtures
Friday Leganes v Alaves, 10.15pm; Valencia v Las Palmas, 12.15am
Saturday Celta Vigo v Real Sociedad, 8.15pm; Girona v Atletico Madrid, 10.15pm; Sevilla v Espanyol, 12.15am
Sunday Athletic Bilbao v Getafe, 8.15am; Barcelona v Real Betis, 10.15pm; Deportivo v Real Madrid, 12.15am
Monday Levante v Villarreal, 10.15pm; Malaga v Eibar, midnight
FROM%20THE%20ASHES
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