Eden Hazard celebrating at the end of the Russia 2018 World Cup play-off for third place between Belgium and England. AFP
Eden Hazard celebrating at the end of the Russia 2018 World Cup play-off for third place between Belgium and England. AFP
Eden Hazard celebrating at the end of the Russia 2018 World Cup play-off for third place between Belgium and England. AFP
Eden Hazard celebrating at the end of the Russia 2018 World Cup play-off for third place between Belgium and England. AFP

Eden Hazard's retirement signals end of an era for Belgium's golden generation


Ian Hawkey
  • English
  • Arabic

At the end of his 126th and last international for Belgium, Eden Hazard looked around the Ahmad bin Alli stadium in Al Rayyan and saw too many farewell signs. His team, bronze medallists at the World Cup four years earlier, had just been knocked out in the group phase of Qatar 2022. Hazard had been given just three minutes off the bench to try and launch a late rescue of the campaign.

Romelu Lukaku had come on at half time with a similar mission, Belgium’s all-time record scorer asked for the one goal that would, with the score 0-0 against Croatia, have pushed the so-called Red Devils into the knockouts. On came Youri Tielemans to add guile. On came Thorgan Hazard, who in recent years has become a better guarantee of zipping past a marker than his fading, more gifted elder brother.

None could break the deadlock that day, and at the final whistle players and staff prepared for repeated goodbyes. It was the last sighting together of those twin defensive pillars, Toby Alderweireld and Jan Vertonghen, a pairing first brought together more than a dozen years earlier and veterans of 366 senior matches together for their clubs or for Belgium, where they were so often blessed with the towering Thibaut Courtois as their backstop and by Axel Witsel as the formidable midfield sentry just in front of them.

Great hopes had been invested in these totems of Belgium’s so-called “golden generation”. But within the camp in Qatar, there had been doubts and disagreements. Kevin de Bruyne, the captain, had voiced concerns this was a side that might already be past its peak. “Too old,” De Bruyne had told an interviewer asking whether his cohort could win the 2022 World Cup.

The announcement on Monday that Eden Hazard has retired from all football at the relatively young age of 32 draws a significant curtain on what is widely held to be the finest concentration of talent within an age-group in Belgium’s football history. The sad retreat from activity of Hazard, after four injury-disrupted and minimum-impact years at Real Madrid, from a sport he once made so watchable, echoes a wider sense of loss.

Belgium’s golden generation have not all stepped aside in a single, choreographed moment, but it is not just Hazard, their leading star for much of the last decade, who is off stage.

Aldeweireld, 34, has retired from internationals. So has his contemporary Witsel, some of whose authority in midfield would naturally pass to Tielemans, 26. But Tielemans, who suffered relegation from the Premier League last May with Leicester City, is yet to start a game for his new club, Aston Villa, amid reports he has fallen out with head coach Unai Emery.

Belgium's Jan Vertonghen, left, and Toby Alderweireld, right, formed a rock-solid partnership at the back for an entire generation. AFP
Belgium's Jan Vertonghen, left, and Toby Alderweireld, right, formed a rock-solid partnership at the back for an entire generation. AFP

Another flag-bearer for the next generation, attacking midfielder Charles de Ketelaere, is also coming off a difficult year. He joined AC Milan amid great expectations in 2022. After a season of just nine starts in Serie A, he has been loaned to Atalanta.

The squad named by Belgium’s head coach Domenico Tedesco for the European Championship qualifiers in Austria Friday and Sweden next week is also missing important generals; 32-year-old De Bruyne being is recovery from a hamstring issue aggravated early in Manchester City’s opening match of the Premier League season, and Courtois, 31, having been ruled out until well into the new year with a cruciate ligament injury.

Courtois’s absence denies him the chance to mend fences as well as set his usual high standards of goalkeeping. He left Belgian practice in June citing an injury ahead of a 1-1 draw with Austria amid reports he had been unhappy not to be given the national captaincy.

In an interview published in Le Soir newspaper, the full-back Timothy Castagne reported anger within the squad at Courtois. “Thibaut is the best Belgian keeper,” he said. “But we do have to ask if we want to sacrifice the unity of the group for the sake of one player?"

Castagne later added that he regretted speaking publicly about the issue.

It is not the first sign of internal division. There were raised voices in the dressing room during the World Cup. And the sense that a unique, once-in-a-century opportunity has been passed up shadows the senior players still involved with the Red Devils.

Belgium, who have never won a major tournament, is a relatively small country, with a population barely a sixth of France’s and almost eight times smaller than Germany’s. It may wait a very long time before such a rich flow of talent as there was in the Hazard-De Bruyne-Courtois era comes around again.

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.

In numbers: China in Dubai

The number of Chinese people living in Dubai: An estimated 200,000

Number of Chinese people in International City: Almost 50,000

Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2018/19: 120,000

Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2010: 20,000

Percentage increase in visitors in eight years: 500 per cent

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Scoreline

Syria 1-1 Australia

Syria Al Somah 85'

Australia Kruse 40'

Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
  • Priority access to new homes from participating developers
  • Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
  • Flexible payment plans from developers
  • Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
  • DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
ESSENTIALS

The flights

Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh via Yangon from Dh2,700 return including taxes. Cambodia Bayon Airlines and Cambodia Angkor Air offer return flights from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap from Dh250 return including taxes. The flight takes about 45 minutes.

The hotels

Rooms at the Raffles Le Royal in Phnom Penh cost from $225 (Dh826) per night including taxes. Rooms at the Grand Hotel d'Angkor cost from $261 (Dh960) per night including taxes.

The tours

A cyclo architecture tour of Phnom Penh costs from $20 (Dh75) per person for about three hours, with Khmer Architecture Tours. Tailor-made tours of all of Cambodia, or sites like Angkor alone, can be arranged by About Asia Travel. Emirates Holidays also offers packages. 

What can victims do?

Always use only regulated platforms

Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion

Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)

Report to local authorities

Warn others to prevent further harm

Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence

EA Sports FC 25
Brief scores:

Liverpool 3

Mane 24', Shaqiri 73', 80'

Manchester United 1

Lingard 33'

Man of the Match: Fabinho (Liverpool)

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
How to help

Call the hotline on 0502955999 or send "thenational" to the following numbers:

2289 - Dh10

2252 - Dh50

6025 - Dh20

6027 - Dh100

6026 - Dh200

The Sand Castle

Director: Matty Brown

Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea

Rating: 2.5/5

The National Archives, Abu Dhabi

Founded over 50 years ago, the National Archives collects valuable historical material relating to the UAE, and is the oldest and richest archive relating to the Arabian Gulf.

Much of the material can be viewed on line at the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive - https://www.agda.ae/en

The specs: 2018 Mazda CX-5

Price, base / as tested: Dh89,000 / Dh130,000
Engine: 2.5-litre four-cylinder
Power: 188hp @ 6,000rpm
Torque: 251Nm @ 4,000rpm
Transmission: Six-speed automatic
​​​​​​​Fuel consumption, combined: 7.1L / 100km

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Top investing tips for UAE residents in 2021

Build an emergency fund: Make sure you have enough cash to cover six months of expenses as a buffer against unexpected problems before you begin investing, advises Steve Cronin, the founder of DeadSimpleSaving.com.

Think long-term: When you invest, you need to have a long-term mindset, so don’t worry about momentary ups and downs in the stock market.

Invest worldwide: Diversify your investments globally, ideally by way of a global stock index fund.

Is your money tied up: Avoid anything where you cannot get your money back in full within a month at any time without any penalty.

Skip past the promises: “If an investment product is offering more than 10 per cent return per year, it is either extremely risky or a scam,” Mr Cronin says.

Choose plans with low fees: Make sure that any funds you buy do not charge more than 1 per cent in fees, Mr Cronin says. “If you invest by yourself, you can easily stay below this figure.” Managed funds and commissionable investments often come with higher fees.

Be sceptical about recommendations: If someone suggests an investment to you, ask if they stand to gain, advises Mr Cronin. “If they are receiving commission, they are unlikely to recommend an investment that’s best for you.”

Get financially independent: Mr Cronin advises UAE residents to pursue financial independence. Start with a Google search and improve your knowledge via expat investing websites or Facebook groups such as SimplyFI. 

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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Coming 2 America

Directed by: Craig Brewer

Starring: Eddie Murphy, Arsenio Hall, Jermaine Fowler, Leslie Jones

3/5 stars

The specs

Engine: 4.0-litre V8

Power: 503hp at 6,000rpm

Torque: 685Nm at 2,000rpm

Transmission: 8-speed auto

Price: from Dh850,000

On sale: now

Specs

Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request

Medicus AI

Started: 2016

Founder(s): Dr Baher Al Hakim, Dr Nadine Nehme and Makram Saleh

Based: Vienna, Austria; started in Dubai

Sector: Health Tech

Staff: 119

Funding: €7.7 million (Dh31m)

 

The specs
  • Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
  • Power: 640hp
  • Torque: 760nm
  • On sale: 2026
  • Price: Not announced yet
2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups

Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.

Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.

Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.

Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, Leon.

Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.

Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.

Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.

Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.

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%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDeveloper%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ERemedy%20Entertainment%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPublisher%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Microsoft%20Game%20Studios%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EConsoles%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20PlayStation%204%20%26amp%3B%205%2C%20Xbox%3A%20360%20%26amp%3B%20One%20%26amp%3B%20Series%20X%2FS%20and%20Nintendo%20Switch%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Living in...

This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.

A timeline of the Historical Dictionary of the Arabic Language
  • 2018: Formal work begins
  • November 2021: First 17 volumes launched 
  • November 2022: Additional 19 volumes released
  • October 2023: Another 31 volumes released
  • November 2024: All 127 volumes completed
Company%20Profile
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'Worse than a prison sentence'

Marie Byrne, a counsellor who volunteers at the UAE government's mental health crisis helpline, said the ordeal the crew had been through would take time to overcome.

“It was worse than a prison sentence, where at least someone can deal with a set amount of time incarcerated," she said.

“They were living in perpetual mystery as to how their futures would pan out, and what that would be.

“Because of coronavirus, the world is very different now to the one they left, that will also have an impact.

“It will not fully register until they are on dry land. Some have not seen their young children grow up while others will have to rebuild relationships.

“It will be a challenge mentally, and to find other work to support their families as they have been out of circulation for so long. Hopefully they will get the care they need when they get home.”

UPI facts

More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions

IF YOU GO
 
The flights: FlyDubai offers direct flights to Catania Airport from Dubai International Terminal 2 daily with return fares starting from Dh1,895.
 
The details: Access to the 2,900-metre elevation point at Mount Etna by cable car and 4x4 transport vehicle cost around €57.50 (Dh248) per adult. Entry into Teatro Greco costs €10 (Dh43). For more go to www.visitsicily.info

 Where to stay: Hilton Giardini Naxos offers beachfront access and accessible to Taormina and Mount Etna. Rooms start from around €130 (Dh561) per night, including taxes.

Updated: October 12, 2023, 3:02 AM`