Spain’s Cesc Fabregas announced his retirement after two decades in the game. EPA
Spain’s Cesc Fabregas announced his retirement after two decades in the game. EPA
Spain’s Cesc Fabregas announced his retirement after two decades in the game. EPA
Spain’s Cesc Fabregas announced his retirement after two decades in the game. EPA

Sport

Football

Former Chelsea and Spain star Cesc Fabregas announces retirement

The 2010 World Cup winner will stay at Serie B side Como and work with reserve and youth teams

The National

July 02, 2023

  • English
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Former Arsenal, Chelsea and Spain midfielder Cesc Fabregas has announced his retirement from football at the age of 36.

The 2010 World Cup winner made the announcement on Saturday after ending the two-year contract he signed with Italian Serie B side Como last summer 12 months early.

He made more than 700 first-team club appearances since making his Arsenal debut as a 16-year-old.

"It is with great sadness that the time has come for me to hang up my playing boots," he said.

"From my first days at Barca, Arsenal, Barca again, Chelsea, Monaco and Como, I will treasure them all.

"From lifting the World Cup, the Euros, to winning everything in England and Spain and nearly all the European trophies, it has been a journey that I'll never forget."

He began his career in the Barcelona academy before joining Arsenal as a 16-year-old in 2003. At Arsenal, Fabregas won the 2005 FA Cup.

  • Cesc Fabregas, right, first made a name for himself at Arsenal, where he made his first-team debut age 16 in 2003. Getty Images
    Cesc Fabregas, right, first made a name for himself at Arsenal, where he made his first-team debut age 16 in 2003. Getty Images
  • During his time at Arsenal, Cesc Fabregas won the 2004 Community Shield and the FA Cup a year later. Getty Images
    During his time at Arsenal, Cesc Fabregas won the 2004 Community Shield and the FA Cup a year later. Getty Images
  • Cesc Fabregas helped Spain to back to back European Championship titles in 2008 and 2012. Getty Images
    Cesc Fabregas helped Spain to back to back European Championship titles in 2008 and 2012. Getty Images
  • Cesc Fabregas, left, would go on to win over 100 caps for Spain and lifted the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. Getty Images
    Cesc Fabregas, left, would go on to win over 100 caps for Spain and lifted the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. Getty Images
  • In August 2011 Cesc Fabregas, left, joined Barcelona, the club where he had spent his youth, in a €29 million deal. Getty Images
    In August 2011 Cesc Fabregas, left, joined Barcelona, the club where he had spent his youth, in a €29 million deal. Getty Images
  • Cesc Fabregas' three-year spell in Catalonia would see him win La Liga, Copa del Rey and Fifa Club World Cup trophies. Getty Images
    Cesc Fabregas' three-year spell in Catalonia would see him win La Liga, Copa del Rey and Fifa Club World Cup trophies. Getty Images
  • Cesc Fabregas moved back to England in June 2014 to join Chelsea for €33 million. Getty Images
    Cesc Fabregas moved back to England in June 2014 to join Chelsea for €33 million. Getty Images
  • Cesc Fabregas helped Chelsea win two Premier League titles, the FA Cup and League Cup. Getty Images
    Cesc Fabregas helped Chelsea win two Premier League titles, the FA Cup and League Cup. Getty Images

He returned to Barcelona in 2011 and spent three years at Camp Nou.

At Barca he won the 2012-13 La Liga title but left the Nou Camp to return to the Premier League with Chelsea a year later, helping the Blues to the league crown in 2015 and 2017.

Fabregas left for Monaco in 2019 and spent the past season with Como in Italy's second tier. He will stay at the club to work with the reserve and youth teams.

His biggest success came with Spain, winning 110 caps and back-to-back European Championships in 2008 and 2012, while providing the assist for the extra-time winner in the 2010 World Cup final against the Netherlands.

"It's not all sadness though as I'm now going to cross the white line and start coaching the B and Primavera (youth) teams of Como 1907. A club and a project I couldn't be more excited about," he added.

"This charming football team won my heart from the first minute and came to me at the perfect time in my career. I will grab it with both hands.

"So after 20 incredible years full of sacrifice, dedication and joy, it's time to say thank you and goodbye to the beautiful game."

How tumultuous protests grew
  • A fuel tax protest by French drivers appealed to wider anti-government sentiment
  • Unlike previous French demonstrations there was no trade union or organised movement involved 
  • Demonstrators responded to online petitions and flooded squares to block traffic
  • At its height there were almost 300,000 on the streets in support
  • Named after the high visibility jackets that drivers must keep in cars 
  • Clashes soon turned violent as thousands fought with police at cordons
  • An estimated two dozen people lost eyes and many others were admitted to hospital 

SM Town Live is on Friday, April 6 at Autism Rocks Arena, Dubai. Tickets are Dh375 at www.platinumlist.net

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PROFILE BOX

Company name: Overwrite.ai

Founder: Ayman Alashkar

Started: Established in 2020

Based: Dubai International Financial Centre, Dubai

Sector: PropTech

Initial investment: Self-funded by founder

Funding stage: Seed funding, in talks with angel investors

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.”

While you're here
Zimbabwe v UAE, ODI series

All matches at the Harare Sports Club:

1st ODI, Wednesday, April 10

2nd ODI, Friday, April 12

3rd ODI, Sunday, April 14

4th ODI, Tuesday, April 16

UAE squad: Mohammed Naveed (captain), Rohan Mustafa, Ashfaq Ahmed, Shaiman Anwar, Mohammed Usman, CP Rizwan, Chirag Suri, Mohammed Boota, Ghulam Shabber, Sultan Ahmed, Imran Haider, Amir Hayat, Zahoor Khan, Qadeer Ahmed

The biog

Date of birth: 27 May, 1995

Place of birth: Dubai, UAE

Status: Single

School: Al Ittihad private school in Al Mamzar

University: University of Sharjah

Degree: Renewable and Sustainable Energy

Hobby: I enjoy travelling a lot, not just for fun, but I like to cross things off my bucket list and the map and do something there like a 'green project'.

The five pillars of Islam

1. Fasting 

2. Prayer 

3. Hajj 

4. Shahada 

5. Zakat 

Sukuk explained

Sukuk are Sharia-compliant financial certificates issued by governments, corporates and other entities. While as an asset class they resemble conventional bonds, there are some significant differences. As interest is prohibited under Sharia, sukuk must contain an underlying transaction, for example a leaseback agreement, and the income that is paid to investors is generated by the underlying asset. Investors must also be prepared to share in both the profits and losses of an enterprise. Nevertheless, sukuk are similar to conventional bonds in that they provide regular payments, and are considered less risky than equities. Most investors would not buy sukuk directly due to high minimum subscriptions, but invest via funds.

While you're here
The 24-man squad:

Goalkeepers: Thibaut Courtois (Chelsea), Simon Mignolet (Liverpool), Koen Casteels (VfL Wolfsburg).

Defenders: Toby Alderweireld (Tottenham), Thomas Meunier (Paris Saint-Germain), Thomas Vermaelen (Barcelona), Jan Vertonghen (Tottenham), Dedryck Boyata (Celtic), Vincent Kompany (Manchester City).

Midfielders: Marouane Fellaini (Manchester United), Axel Witsel (Tianjin Quanjian), Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City), Eden Hazard (Chelsea), Nacer Chadli (West Bromwich Albion), Leander Dendoncker (Anderlecht), Thorgan Hazard (Borussia Moenchengladbach), Youri Tielemans (Monaco), Mousa Dembele (Tottenham Hotspur).

Forwards: Michy Batshuayi (Chelsea/Dortmund), Yannick Carrasco (Dalian Yifang), Adnan Januzaj (Real Sociedad), Romelu Lukaku (Manchester United), Dries Mertens (Napoli).

Standby player: Laurent Ciman (Los Angeles FC).

How to wear a kandura

Dos

  • Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion 
  • Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
  • Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work 
  • Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester

Don’ts 

  • Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal 
  • Buy a kandura only based on how it feels; ask questions about the fabric and understand what you are buying
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Robbie Keane (Atletico de Kolkata) The Irish striker is, along with his former Spurs teammate Dimitar Berbatov, the headline figure in this season’s ISL, having joined defending champions ATK. His grand entrance after arrival from Major League Soccer in the US will be delayed by three games, though, due to a knee injury.

Dimitar Berbatov (Kerala Blasters) Word has it that Rene Meulensteen, the Kerala manager, plans to deploy his Bulgarian star in central midfield. The idea of Berbatov as an all-action, box-to-box midfielder, might jar with Spurs and Manchester United supporters, who more likely recall an always-languid, often-lazy striker.

Wes Brown (Kerala Blasters) Revived his playing career last season to help out at Blackburn Rovers, where he was also a coach. Since then, the 23-cap England centre back, who is now 38, has been reunited with the former Manchester United assistant coach Meulensteen, after signing for Kerala.

Andre Bikey (Jamshedpur) The Cameroonian defender is onto the 17th club of a career has taken him to Spain, Portugal, Russia, the UK, Greece, and now India. He is still only 32, so there is plenty of time to add to that tally, too. Scored goals against Liverpool and Chelsea during his time with Reading in England.

Emiliano Alfaro (Pune City) The Uruguayan striker has played for Liverpool – the Montevideo one, rather than the better-known side in England – and Lazio in Italy. He was prolific for a season at Al Wasl in the Arabian Gulf League in 2012/13. He returned for one season with Fujairah, whom he left to join Pune.

Updated: July 02, 2023, 8:49 AM
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