Euro 2024 came to a dramatic conclusion in Berlin on Sunday night as Spain lifted their fourth continental crown with a 2-1 victory over England.
Luis de la Fuente's side have been the tournament's best team by some distance, beating holders Italy, hosts Germany, France and then England on their way to a title which makes them the most successful nation in Euros history.
Their victorious players dominated the individual awards after the final and, unsurprisingly, feature heavily in The National's team of the tournament.
Giorgi Mamardashvili (Georgia) - GK
In between conceding three on Georgia’s tournament debut against Turkey and reaching out a right hand to stop Nelson Semedo pulling a goal back for Portugal, Mamardashvili made a series of superb saves. The imposing Valencia keeper was as influential as anyone in helping his side to the last 16.
Dani Carvajal (Spain) - RB
Sunday's victory gave Real Madrid's right-back a European Championship winner's medal to go with his Champions League and La Liga triumphs from an all-conquering season. Always a tenacious defender, Carvajal added steel and leadership to the Spanish team and even chipped in with his first international goal in the group stage win over Croatia.
William Saliba (France) - CB
The performances of Didier Deschamps' dreary French team at Euro 2024 won't live long in the memory but they did boast an impressive defensive unit led by the superb Arsenal centre-back. A formidable defender and a smooth distributor, Saliba took his impressive club form into the tournament.
Pepe (Portugal) - CB
The seemingly ageless centre-back showed he'd lost none of the competitive spirit, positional awareness or ability to read the game that made him a defensive rock at Real Madrid for so many years. Now 41, it's likely the last we have seen of him on the international stage.
Marc Cucurella (Spain) - LB
The full-back has struggled since his move to Chelsea last summer but reminded everyone of his quality in Germany with some all-action displays. Brought boundless energy whether it be starting or joining attacks or containing opposition forwards. Did well in his duel with the dangerous Bukayo Saka in the final and even provided the assist for Mikel Oyarzabal's eventual winner.
Rodri (Spain) - CM
The best defensive midfielder in the world was Spain's 'Mr Reliable', starting all seven games and bringing his quality and tactical acumen to the side. Picked up Uefa's Player of the Tournament award and was the lynchpin as Spain won all of their games, even if injury forced him off at half time in the final.
Fabian Ruiz (Spain) - CM
The best midfielder at the tournament. Got his summer off to a flying start with a superb solo goal in Spain's tournament opening 3-0 win over Croatia and never looked back. Elegant midfielder showed all of his quality and had Uefa preferred him to Rodri for the official best player award then there would have been few complaints.
Dani Olmo (Spain) - CM
Started the tournament on the bench but played a huge role for his side – first as a sub and then as a starter in place of the injured Pedri – with three goals and two assists. The RB Leipzig player is reported to have an agreeable release clause in his contract and it will be interesting to see if his performances this summer encourage other clubs to meet it.
Lamine Yamal (Spain) - RW
The face of the tournament and now a global star after a string of electric displays. You might have heard at some point that he turned 17 the day before the final. You'd have to go back to Wayne Rooney in 2004 to find an example of a young player causing such a stir at a major tournament. Yamal is clearly destined for greatness and Euro 2024 will always be the time he announced it to the wider sporting world. His goal in the semi-final against France will go down as one of the great moments in Euros history.
Jamal Musiala (Germany) - CF
It is quite unsatisfactory to move Musiala in off his berth on the wing for the purposes of this exercise but it is hard to make a case for any of the out-and-out strikers we saw this summer. Tournaments are always improved by a buoyant host nation and Germany's Musiala did more than anyone to spark Euros fever on home soil.
Nico Williams (Spain) - LW
An outstanding tournament from the Athletic Club winger whose pace and trickery made him a constant menace for defenders. Made the crucial breakthrough in the final with confident finish. Reported to be Barcelona's top target this summer.
Substitutes
Jordan Pickford: Another solid tournament from England's goalkeeper. Kept his side in the final at times.
Jules Kounde: Impressed on the right side of France's miserly defence.
Marc Guehi: Will be disappointed with role in Oyarzabal's winner on Sunday but can be proud of his efforts this summer.
Arda Guler: Stylish Turkish forward showed his quality and will no doubt light up many more tournaments in the future.
Cody Gakpo: Proved again that he's a reliable source of goals when it comes to tournament football.
What is type-1 diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is a genetic and unavoidable condition, rather than the lifestyle-related type 2 diabetes.
It occurs mostly in people under 40 and a result of the pancreas failing to produce enough insulin to regulate blood sugars.
Too much or too little blood sugar can result in an attack where sufferers lose consciousness in serious cases.
Being overweight or obese increases the chances of developing the more common type 2 diabetes.
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Rain Management
Year started: 2017
Based: Bahrain
Employees: 100-120
Amount raised: $2.5m from BitMex Ventures and Blockwater. Another $6m raised from MEVP, Coinbase, Vision Ventures, CMT, Jimco and DIFC Fintech Fund
From Conquest to Deportation
Jeronim Perovic, Hurst
Mia Man’s tips for fermentation
- Start with a simple recipe such as yogurt or sauerkraut
- Keep your hands and kitchen tools clean. Sanitize knives, cutting boards, tongs and storage jars with boiling water before you start.
- Mold is bad: the colour pink is a sign of mold. If yogurt turns pink as it ferments, you need to discard it and start again. For kraut, if you remove the top leaves and see any sign of mold, you should discard the batch.
- Always use clean, closed, airtight lids and containers such as mason jars when fermenting yogurt and kraut. Keep the lid closed to prevent insects and contaminants from getting in.
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
The winners
Fiction
- ‘Amreekiya’ by Lena Mahmoud
- ‘As Good As True’ by Cheryl Reid
The Evelyn Shakir Non-Fiction Award
- ‘Syrian and Lebanese Patricios in Sao Paulo’ by Oswaldo Truzzi; translated by Ramon J Stern
- ‘The Sound of Listening’ by Philip Metres
The George Ellenbogen Poetry Award
- ‘Footnotes in the Order of Disappearance’ by Fady Joudah
Children/Young Adult
- ‘I’ve Loved You Since Forever’ by Hoda Kotb
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
The specs: Volvo XC40
Price: base / as tested: Dh185,000
Engine: 2.0-litre, turbocharged in-line four-cylinder
Gearbox: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 250hp @ 5,500rpm
Torque: 350Nm @ 1,500rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 10.4L / 100km
Your rights as an employee
The government has taken an increasingly tough line against companies that fail to pay employees on time. Three years ago, the Cabinet passed a decree allowing the government to halt the granting of work permits to companies with wage backlogs.
The new measures passed by the Cabinet in 2016 were an update to the Wage Protection System, which is in place to track whether a company pays its employees on time or not.
If wages are 10 days late, the new measures kick in and the company is alerted it is in breach of labour rules. If wages remain unpaid for a total of 16 days, the authorities can cancel work permits, effectively shutting off operations. Fines of up to Dh5,000 per unpaid employee follow after 60 days.
Despite those measures, late payments remain an issue, particularly in the construction sector. Smaller contractors, such as electrical, plumbing and fit-out businesses, often blame the bigger companies that hire them for wages being late.
The authorities have urged employees to report their companies at the labour ministry or Tawafuq service centres — there are 15 in Abu Dhabi.
The%20Killer
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%C2%A0%3C%2Fstrong%3EDavid%20Fincher%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%C2%A0%3C%2Fstrong%3EMichael%20Fassbender%2C%20Tilda%20Swinton%2C%20Charles%20Parnell%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204%2F5%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
