At the age of 23, French-Algerian midfielder Lina Boussaha was ready to give up on her professional football career.
After playing her way from the youth ranks to the first team at Paris Saint-Germain, her hometown club, Boussaha spent two years struggling with a foot injury. While she was sidelined, she made the decision to start wearing the hijab.
Since 2016, the France Football Federation (FFF) has had a rule that prohibits Muslim women from wearing headscarves while competing, considering wearing the hijab to be a breach of Article 1, which states that no player should wear “any sign or clothing clearly showing political, philosophical, religious or union affiliation”.
Boussaha, who from age 16 played for France’s national team through various age groups and won the French Cup with PSG at 19, realised she no longer had a place on the football pitch in her home country.
Various rights groups and organisations have submitted a petition to the State Council to lift the FFF’s ban on the hijab, but three months ago the court ruled that the federation’s decision to enforce neutral clothing was appropriate.
Having sustained a foot fracture and struggling to find a club that would welcome her and her hijab, Boussaha was preparing to accept that she may never play professional football again. She began to work as a personal trainer, building a healthy list of clients, and was ready to move on.
But just when she was about to hang up her boots, she received a call from her agent that Al Nassr in Saudi Arabia were interested in signing her.
Boussaha was in Qatar at the time attending World Cup matches and enjoying a break. She did not know anything about Saudi football and had little knowledge of Al Nassr.
“I didn’t have any information about the league, about the country. It was my first time in this country,” Boussaha told The National over a Zoom this week.
“I tried to find information on social media, on Google, nothing. I just said to my agent, ‘OK, I have an opportunity to go and play with my hijab. I will check and we will see.' So I came and I discovered a new country, new culture, new tradition, new football.”
Boussaha remembers the date she decided to join Al Nassr: December 12, 2022.
Less than three weeks later, Cristiano Ronaldo signed a historic deal with the club that put Al Nassr in the spotlight and led to a wave of star players joining teams in the Saudi Pro League.
I didn’t have any information about the league, about the country ... I just said to my agent, ‘OK I have an opportunity to go and play with my hijab. I will check and we will see’
Lina Boussaha,
Al Nassr player
“Before Ronaldo, it wasn’t famous like that. So I just came for football, playing with my hijab, with passion, and that’s it,” Boussaha said.
“Now I’m very lucky because of the impact of Ronaldo on the players. I’m experiencing that live now I’m here and I’m very happy because it’s a Muslim country, I can play with my hijab. I’m coming back from a big injury, so I take pleasure again to play football.
“My teammates are amazing, the project here is amazing and it will still develop and progress more. I’m very happy alhamdulillah.”
When Ronaldo arrived in Saudi Arabia, he spoke about his desire to help develop women’s football in the kingdom.
He backed up his comments by visiting Al Nassr’s women’s side before their final game of the season in February – a match against Al Yamamah that was set to decide the title.
He was the first to congratulate Boussaha and her teammates on social media when they overcame their rivals 3-2 to be crowned champions of the inaugural Saudi Women’s Premier League.
“When Ronaldo came [to Saudi Arabia] it was sudden, we weren’t ready,” Boussaha said. “Because there were no rumours and he came directly, we were shocked. It was crazy because he is my favourite football player, he inspired me a lot when I was young … he is a big inspiration for everyone.
“The impact that he brings is amazing and he said that he wants to develop women’s football, so for us it’s very important. He came and supported us, he spoke with us. He is invested in us.”
Boussaha was born in Saint-Denis, a suburb north of Paris, to Algerian parents. She started playing football at a young age with her brother, and describes her relationship with the sport as “a natural love”.
“I never forced it. I was with my ball everywhere, practising in the street, with men, just having fun, without any intention of being professional. It was a love like that, it was natural,” she said.
Her youth career began at Saint-Denis RC, before she was scouted by a PSG coach and joined their academy at age 13.
“I was 17 when I signed my first professional contract,” she said. “I was very happy, it was my first job and I really enjoyed it because you start to play with professionals and it was my city. It was my dream to play with PSG, with big players.”
At 17, Boussaha made her PSG first-team debut in a league game against Metz in October 2016. A couple of years later, she won the French Cup and was also part of France side that reached the final of the 2017 Uefa Women's Under-19 Championship.
“We also made the Champions League final with PSG. It was a big moment, I was 18, so for me it was very, very big,” she said. “All those kinds of moments are always on my mind.”
Playing in Saudi Arabia has been an adjustment for Boussaha, but she is impressed by how quickly women’s football has progressed in the kingdom.
“For me, considering it’s only been two years [since the foundation of the league], for what they are doing it’s very good, the federation and the league, the way they’re trying to develop it fast. They aren’t wasting any time,” she said.
“They are putting in ways to let it develop fast and with quality. Even on social media, the communication, the marketing and everything, for me it’s very good.
“It’s young, but they’re doing a great job. Where we play, the stadium, everything is very structured and organised. It will still develop more in a few years and bring a lot of big players.”
For now, Al Nassr’s women’s team is based in Al Khobar, with most of the Saudi players coming from the surrounding area. The club could relocate to Riyadh in the future, an idea that Boussaha believes would give the team a further boost.
With the influx of world-class players into the men’s Saudi Pro League, Boussaha believes the women’s competition – which currently has eight clubs – will also attract top talent.
“It started already during this summer. I received a lot of messages, and my agent as well,” she said. “A lot of women players want to come here because they saw the impact and the chance to come and play here.”
Former PSG player Aminata Diallo has arrived at Al Nassr ahead of the new season.
The impact [Cristiano Ronaldo] brings is amazing, and he wants to develop women’s football, so for us it’s very important. He came and supported us, he spoke with us. He is invested in us.”
Lina Boussaha
“She’s Muslim like me, she’s like me, my profile. We wanted to come here to Saudi Arabia, not just because of the football, but because of the lifestyle,” Boussaha said. “It’s really matching with what we want, what we like, even with the future.”
The Saudi Women’s Premier League begins in October and runs until February. Boussaha is confident her team can defend their crown.
“For sure, the goal is to be champions again. As Al Nassr, as champions, we want to keep the cup at home. Inshallah, we’ll give our maximum,” she said.
“We have a good team, a good coach [Abdulaziz Al Alwany], good staff, everything is ready for us to be champions again but we have to give everything for sure.
“We have all the ingredients and now we have to put it in the bowl and to cook it well.
“Maybe we’ll have the Saudi Cup as well. If we have the chance to be double champions it will be amazing. That’s the goal.”
While Boussaha acknowledges that the door has closed on her time playing in, and for, France, a new opportunity is opening up for her with the Algeria national team.
“Maybe this month I can go play with them,” she revealed. “Both my parents are Algerian and I am also living my Algerian side, I have all my family there. I lived big moments with them, I am always with them.
“So it’s not like I have the chance to play with Algeria but I don’t have the relationship. I have the relationship with Algeria, I am very proud to be Algerian and it’s a big chance for me to be able to play with them.”
Morocco made history at the recent Women’s World Cup, becoming the first Arab nation to qualify for the global showpiece and springing a surprise by advancing to the last 16, following victories over Colombia and South Korea in the group stage.
“It’s amazing, we can see that now the African teams are good and are improving and developing, they have very good players,” Boussaha said.
“I hope in the future that Algeria, Tunisia and all the African teams will be able to reach this level, and that the federations will help the teams to grow, because we have a lot of talent and it’s a pity that we can’t reach the highest level. We are very proud of the Moroccan team.”
Avatar: Fire and Ash
Director: James Cameron
Starring: Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, Zoe Saldana
Rating: 4.5/5
CHATGPT%20ENTERPRISE%20FEATURES
%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Enterprise-grade%20security%20and%20privacy%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Unlimited%20higher-speed%20GPT-4%20access%20with%20no%20caps%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Longer%20context%20windows%20for%20processing%20longer%20inputs%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Advanced%20data%20analysis%20capabilities%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Customisation%20options%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Shareable%20chat%20templates%20that%20companies%20can%20use%20to%20collaborate%20and%20build%20common%20workflows%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Analytics%20dashboard%20for%20usage%20insights%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Free%20credits%20to%20use%20OpenAI%20APIs%20to%20extend%20OpenAI%20into%20a%20fully-custom%20solution%20for%20enterprises%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
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.”
The Vile
Starring: Bdoor Mohammad, Jasem Alkharraz, Iman Tarik, Sarah Taibah
Director: Majid Al Ansari
Rating: 4/5
Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
Price: From Dh126,000
Available: Now
The specs: 2018 Nissan Altima
Price, base / as tested: Dh78,000 / Dh97,650
Engine: 2.5-litre in-line four-cylinder
Power: 182hp @ 6,000rpm
Torque: 244Nm @ 4,000rpm
Transmission: Continuously variable tranmission
Fuel consumption, combined: 7.6L / 100km
Company profile
Date started: December 24, 2018
Founders: Omer Gurel, chief executive and co-founder and Edebali Sener, co-founder and chief technology officer
Based: Dubai Media City
Number of employees: 42 (34 in Dubai and a tech team of eight in Ankara, Turkey)
Sector: ConsumerTech and FinTech
Cashflow: Almost $1 million a year
Funding: Series A funding of $2.5m with Series B plans for May 2020
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
Getting%20there%20
%3Cp%3E%3Ca%20href%3D%22https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thenationalnews.com%2Ftravel%2F2023%2F01%2F12%2Fwhat-does-it-take-to-be-cabin-crew-at-one-of-the-worlds-best-airlines-in-2023%2F%22%20target%3D%22_self%22%3EEtihad%20Airways%20%3C%2Fa%3Eflies%20daily%20to%20the%20Maldives%20from%20Abu%20Dhabi.%20The%20journey%20takes%20four%20hours%20and%20return%20fares%20start%20from%20Dh3%2C995.%20Opt%20for%20the%203am%20flight%20and%20you%E2%80%99ll%20land%20at%206am%2C%20giving%20you%20the%20entire%20day%20to%20adjust%20to%20island%20time.%20%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3ERound%20trip%20speedboat%20transfers%20to%20the%20resort%20are%20bookable%20via%20Anantara%20and%20cost%20%24265%20per%20person.%20%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Allardyce's management career
Clubs (10) - Limerick (1991-1992), Perston North End (1992), Blackpool (1994-1996), Notts County (1997-1999), Bolton Wanderers (1999-2007), Newcastle United (2007-2008), Blackburn Rovers (2008-2010), West Ham United (2011-2015), Sunderland (2016), Crystal Palace (2016-2017)
Countries (1) - England (2016)
info-box
COMPANY PROFILE
Company name: Happy Tenant
Started: January 2019
Co-founders: Joe Moufarrej and Umar Rana
Based: Dubai
Sector: Technology, real-estate
Initial investment: Dh2.5 million
Investors: Self-funded
Total customers: 4,000
Yahya Al Ghassani's bio
Date of birth: April 18, 1998
Playing position: Winger
Clubs: 2015-2017 – Al Ahli Dubai; March-June 2018 – Paris FC; August – Al Wahda
