30th, Nordin Amrabat: Born in the Netherlands but represented Morocco at international level, the winger played more than 40 times for Watford after arriving in 2016 and proved a tricky customer to defend against. Moved to Al Nassr in Saudi in 2018. Getty Images
30th, Nordin Amrabat: Born in the Netherlands but represented Morocco at international level, the winger played more than 40 times for Watford after arriving in 2016 and proved a tricky customer to defend against. Moved to Al Nassr in Saudi in 2018. Getty Images
29th, Ramadan Sobhi: Arrived at Stoke City in 2016 from Egypt with a reputation as one of the brightest young talents around. Showed fleeting moments of his ability over the course of two seasons before moving to Huddersfield as Stoke were relegated. His move didn't work out and he returned to Egypt. Getty Images
29th, Ramadan Sobhi: Arrived at Stoke City in 2016 from Egypt with a reputation as one of the brightest young talents around. Showed fleeting moments of his ability over the course of two seasons before moving to Huddersfield as Stoke were relegated. His move didn't work out and he returned to Egypt. Getty Images
28th, Hameur Bouazza: The Algerian, born in France, moved to Watford aged 16 and enjoyed a full season in the Premier League in 2006-07 and then another at Fulham in 2007-08 before embarking on a journeyman existence. Scored a belting overhead kick versus Manchester United in the FA Cup for Watford. Getty Images
28th, Hameur Bouazza: The Algerian, born in France, moved to Watford aged 16 and enjoyed a full season in the Premier League in 2006-07 and then another at Fulham in 2007-08 before embarking on a journeyman existence. Scored a belting overhead kick versus Manchester United in the FA Cup for Watford. Getty Images
27th, Hatem Trabelsi: Arrived at Manchester City from Ajax in 2006. The Tunisian only lasted one season but scored a memorable goal against rivals Manchester United. Getty Images
27th, Hatem Trabelsi: Arrived at Manchester City from Ajax in 2006. The Tunisian only lasted one season but scored a memorable goal against rivals Manchester United. Getty Images
26th, Adlene Guedioura: His career was in and around the Premier League for almost a decade without excelling. The Algeria midfielder had top flights spells at Wolves (three seasons), Crystal Palace (two seasons) and Watford (two seasons). Getty Images
26th, Adlene Guedioura: His career was in and around the Premier League for almost a decade without excelling. The Algeria midfielder had top flights spells at Wolves (three seasons), Crystal Palace (two seasons) and Watford (two seasons). Getty Images
25th, Marouane Chamakh: An enigmatic player. Signed by Arsenal in 2010, the Moroccan striker netted seven in his first season before his career went rapidly downhill as seven goals in 60 matches at Crystal Palace testifies. Getty Images
25th, Marouane Chamakh: An enigmatic player. Signed by Arsenal in 2010, the Moroccan striker netted seven in his first season before his career went rapidly downhill as seven goals in 60 matches at Crystal Palace testifies. Getty Images
24rd, Oussama Assaidi: Only four league games for Liverpool in 2012-13 but the Moroccan winger fared better for Stoke the following season with four goals. Getty Images
24rd, Oussama Assaidi: Only four league games for Liverpool in 2012-13 but the Moroccan winger fared better for Stoke the following season with four goals. Getty Images
23th, Noureddine Naybet: The Moroccan defender excelled at Deportivo La Coruna in Spain before joining Tottenham late in his career in 2004, forming a strong partnership with Ledley King. Retired after 30 matches. Getty Images
23th, Noureddine Naybet: The Moroccan defender excelled at Deportivo La Coruna in Spain before joining Tottenham late in his career in 2004, forming a strong partnership with Ledley King. Retired after 30 matches. Getty Images
22nd, Hakim Ziyech: In terms of ability and excitement generated by his move to Premier League Chelsea, you'd expect the Moroccan to rank higher, but he has only played eight matches at the time of writing. Big things are expected of the winger. Getty Images
22nd, Hakim Ziyech: In terms of ability and excitement generated by his move to Premier League Chelsea, you'd expect the Moroccan to rank higher, but he has only played eight matches at the time of writing. Big things are expected of the winger. Getty Images
21st, Wahbi Khazri: The busy attacker's stunning volley for Sunderland against Chelsea in 2016 was one of the goals of the season. Relegation soon marked the end of his time in England after 35 top flight games and three goals. Getty Images
21st, Wahbi Khazri: The busy attacker's stunning volley for Sunderland against Chelsea in 2016 was one of the goals of the season. Relegation soon marked the end of his time in England after 35 top flight games and three goals. Getty Images
20th, Ahmed Hegazi: The Egyptian defender was ever-present for West Bromwich Albion in 2017-18 but the club were relegated. This season he moved to the Saudi league with Al Ittihad. Getty Images
20th, Ahmed Hegazi: The Egyptian defender was ever-present for West Bromwich Albion in 2017-18 but the club were relegated. This season he moved to the Saudi league with Al Ittihad. Getty Images
19th, Youssef Safri: A cult hero at Norwich City with fans singing "Youssef's better than Juninho, Moroccan all over the world" to the tune of the famous Status Quo song. Scored a memorable 40-yarder against Newcastle United in 2005. Most of his career in England was spent in the second tier. Getty Images
19th, Youssef Safri: A cult hero at Norwich City with fans singing "Youssef's better than Juninho, Moroccan all over the world" to the tune of the famous Status Quo song. Scored a memorable 40-yarder against Newcastle United in 2005. Most of his career in England was spent in the second tier. Getty Images
18th, Sofiane Boufal: Arrived at Southampton from Lille for a big money fee of £16 million in 2016 and played 70 Premier League matches before heading back to France this season. The Moroccan winger is remembered for his 2017/18 Goal of the Season winner against West Brom in which he dribbled around half the team. Reuters
18th, Sofiane Boufal: Arrived at Southampton from Lille for a big money fee of £16 million in 2016 and played 70 Premier League matches before heading back to France this season. The Moroccan winger is remembered for his 2017/18 Goal of the Season winner against West Brom in which he dribbled around half the team. Reuters
17th, Islam Slimani: Prolific for Algeria and Sporting Lisbon - less so for Leicester City after joining for a club record £28 million in 2016. Netted eight times and is now surplus to requirements. Getty Images
17th, Islam Slimani: Prolific for Algeria and Sporting Lisbon - less so for Leicester City after joining for a club record £28 million in 2016. Netted eight times and is now surplus to requirements. Getty Images
16th, Talal El Karkouri: The centre-back's 86 appearances across four years for Sunderland and Charlton marks a decent Premier League career for the Moroccan. Scored a banger of a free-kick against Arsenal in 2005. Getty Images
16th, Talal El Karkouri: The centre-back's 86 appearances across four years for Sunderland and Charlton marks a decent Premier League career for the Moroccan. Scored a banger of a free-kick against Arsenal in 2005. Getty Images
15th, Youssef Chippo: Starred for Covnetry alongside fellow Moroccan Mustapha Hadji and provided a creative presence in midfield for four seasons - two in the Premier League. EMPICS via Getty Images
15th, Youssef Chippo: Starred for Covnetry alongside fellow Moroccan Mustapha Hadji and provided a creative presence in midfield for four seasons - two in the Premier League. EMPICS via Getty Images
14th, Rahdi Jaidi: No-nonsense Tunisian defender most notably at Bolton Wanderers from 2004. Chipped in with eight goals from 62 games. Garry Bowden / Shutterstock
14th, Rahdi Jaidi: No-nonsense Tunisian defender most notably at Bolton Wanderers from 2004. Chipped in with eight goals from 62 games. Garry Bowden / Shutterstock
13th, Hassan Kachloul: Skillful midfielder with an eye for goal and penchant for falling down easily. Impressed at Southampton from 1998 before earning a big move to Aston Villa where his career stalled after just 22 matches. Allsport
13th, Hassan Kachloul: Skillful midfielder with an eye for goal and penchant for falling down easily. Impressed at Southampton from 1998 before earning a big move to Aston Villa where his career stalled after just 22 matches. Allsport
12th, Ali Benarbia: The Algerian midfield magician was regarded as a masterstroke signing and inspired the club to promotion to the Premier League in 2001/02. Lasted just one more season as his influence waned but left fond memories for the club's fanbase. Getty Images
12th, Ali Benarbia: The Algerian midfield magician was regarded as a masterstroke signing and inspired the club to promotion to the Premier League in 2001/02. Lasted just one more season as his influence waned but left fond memories for the club's fanbase. Getty Images
11th, Amir Zaki: Burst into the Premier League with 10 goals in 16 games for Wigan in 2008, showing all the hallmarks of a top striker. That was as good as it got - he didn't score again for Wigan, or during a spell at Hull City. Getty Images
11th, Amir Zaki: Burst into the Premier League with 10 goals in 16 games for Wigan in 2008, showing all the hallmarks of a top striker. That was as good as it got - he didn't score again for Wigan, or during a spell at Hull City. Getty Images
10th, Trezeguet: One of three heralded Egyptians currently playing in the Premier League, the Aston Villa winger scored six times in 2019/20 and played a key role as they avoided relegation. He's struggled for action this season. Getty Images
10th, Trezeguet: One of three heralded Egyptians currently playing in the Premier League, the Aston Villa winger scored six times in 2019/20 and played a key role as they avoided relegation. He's struggled for action this season. Getty Images
9th, Adel Taarabt: An edge of the seat player who looked a world-beater on his day. Failed to break through at Tottenham but made his name at QPR and also played for Fulham. Brilliant and frustrating in equal measure, scoring seven goals in 86 appearances. Getty Images
9th, Adel Taarabt: An edge of the seat player who looked a world-beater on his day. Failed to break through at Tottenham but made his name at QPR and also played for Fulham. Brilliant and frustrating in equal measure, scoring seven goals in 86 appearances. Getty Images
8th, Mido: Controversial Egyptian striker with a big personality commanded some big transfer fees. He started well at Tottenham with 11 goals in 2005-06 but his career fizzled out from there with six more for Middlesbrough. Getty Images
8th, Mido: Controversial Egyptian striker with a big personality commanded some big transfer fees. He started well at Tottenham with 11 goals in 2005-06 but his career fizzled out from there with six more for Middlesbrough. Getty Images
7th, Romain Saiss: The Moroccan defender has become a key player for Wolves during the past couple of seasons and has chipped in with a few goals. Could have a lengthy Premier League career. Getty Images
7th, Romain Saiss: The Moroccan defender has become a key player for Wolves during the past couple of seasons and has chipped in with a few goals. Could have a lengthy Premier League career. Getty Images
6th, Ali Al Habsi: The only Omani to have played in the Premier League so far. The giant keeper starred for Wigan as number one between 2010 and 2013. Getty Images
6th, Ali Al Habsi: The only Omani to have played in the Premier League so far. The giant keeper starred for Wigan as number one between 2010 and 2013. Getty Images
5th, Mohamed Elneny: Has been at Arsenal for five years without holding down a regular spot but is now featuring more heavily. It feels like now or never for the Egyptian midfielder. Getty Images
5th, Mohamed Elneny: Has been at Arsenal for five years without holding down a regular spot but is now featuring more heavily. It feels like now or never for the Egyptian midfielder. Getty Images
4th, Mustapha Hadji: Legendary Moroccan winger signed for Coventry from Deportivo La Coruna after impressing at the 1998 World Cup. Fans wore fezzes to matches, while Hadji wore raw beef inside his boots to alleviate a painful foot injury. Scored 14 in 97 for Coventry and then Aston Villa. Allsport
4th, Mustapha Hadji: Legendary Moroccan winger signed for Coventry from Deportivo La Coruna after impressing at the 1998 World Cup. Fans wore fezzes to matches, while Hadji wore raw beef inside his boots to alleviate a painful foot injury. Scored 14 in 97 for Coventry and then Aston Villa. Allsport
3rd, Ahmed Elmohamady: A Premier League veteran of almost 200 games now across spells with Sunderland, Hull and Aston Villa. The Egyptian became an internet sensation for his dance moves when Hull won promotion in 2013. Getty Images
3rd, Ahmed Elmohamady: A Premier League veteran of almost 200 games now across spells with Sunderland, Hull and Aston Villa. The Egyptian became an internet sensation for his dance moves when Hull won promotion in 2013. Getty Images
2nd, Riyad Mahrez: One of the finest dribblers in the world has left many defenders bamboozled during the past five years. More than 60 goals and likely many more to come for Manchester City's Algerian winger. Getty Images
2nd, Riyad Mahrez: One of the finest dribblers in the world has left many defenders bamboozled during the past five years. More than 60 goals and likely many more to come for Manchester City's Algerian winger. Getty Images
1st, Mohamed Salah: Will the Egyptian King ever be surpassed after his spell at Liverpool which has seen him win the Premier League, Champions League and Golden Boot? Probably not, such has been his impact on English football and further afield. Getty Images
1st, Mohamed Salah: Will the Egyptian King ever be surpassed after his spell at Liverpool which has seen him win the Premier League, Champions League and Golden Boot? Probably not, such has been his impact on English football and further afield. Getty Images

Football

Mohamed Salah to Mido: Top 30 Arab footballers in Premier League history ranked

Take a look at the slideshow below to see where the likes of Hakim Ziyech and Trezeguet rank

Ian Oxborrow
Ian Oxborrow

February 21, 2021

  • English
  • Arabic

The English Premier League is very much a multicultural showcase these days.

Star names such as Liverpool and Egypt's Mohamed Salah, Tottenham and South Korea's Son Heung-min and Manchester City's Brazilian Gabriel Jesus come from different ends of the world as the number of nations represented in the league continues to grow.

A host of Arab players have been both past and present, some making only fleeting stops while others were more successful and stayed longer.

Salah tops many lists these days and it will come as no surprise to find him ranked here as the best Arab player in Premier League history.

His goals continue to flow for Liverpool, while his trophy cabinet grows more full with each season.

The rest of the top 30, however, is open to debate.

In this instance the ranking is based on the perceived success of the player during his time in the Premier League.

That takes into account his own situation rather than his club's performance during the period, his impact, longevity and reputation thereafter.

_______________

Top Arab players in the Premier League list

  • 30th, Nordin Amrabat
  • 29th, Ramadan Sobhi
  • 28th, Hameur Bouazza
  • 27th, Hatem Trabelsi
  • 26th, Adlene Guedioura
  • 25th, Marouane Chamakh
  • 24rd, Oussama Assaidi
  • 23th, Noureddine Naybet
  • 22nd, Hakim Ziyech
  • 21st, Wahbi Khazri
  • 20th, Ahmed Hegazi
  • 19th, Youssef Safri
  • 18th, Sofiane Boufal
  • 17th, Islam Slimani
  • 16th, Talal El Karkouri
  • 15th, Youssef Chippo
  • 14th, Rahdi Jaidi
  • 13th, Hassan Kachloul
  • 12th, Ali Benarbia
  • 11th, Amir Zaki
  • 10th, Trezeguet
  • 9th, Adel Taarabt
  • 8th, Mido
  • 7th, Romain Saiss
  • 6th, Ali Al Habsi
  • 5th, Mohamed Elneny
  • 4th, Mustapha Hadji
  • 3rd, Ahmed Elmohamady
  • 2nd, Riyad Mahrez
  • 1st, Mohamed Salah

A version of this article was first published on January 12

The bio

Favourite book: The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

Favourite travel destination: Maldives and south of France

Favourite pastime: Family and friends, meditation, discovering new cuisines

Favourite Movie: Joker (2019). I didn’t like it while I was watching it but then afterwards I loved it. I loved the psychology behind it.

Favourite Author: My father for sure

Favourite Artist: Damien Hurst

More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
The biog:

Languages: Arabic, Farsi, Hindi, basic Russian 

Favourite food: Pizza 

Best food on the road: rice

Favourite colour: silver 

Favourite bike: Gold Wing, Honda

Favourite biking destination: Canada 

Groom and Two Brides

Director: Elie Semaan

Starring: Abdullah Boushehri, Laila Abdallah, Lulwa Almulla

Rating: 3/5

The alternatives

• Founded in 2014, Telr is a payment aggregator and gateway with an office in Silicon Oasis. It’s e-commerce entry plan costs Dh349 monthly (plus VAT). QR codes direct customers to an online payment page and merchants can generate payments through messaging apps.

• Business Bay’s Pallapay claims 40,000-plus active merchants who can invoice customers and receive payment by card. Fees range from 1.99 per cent plus Dh1 per transaction depending on payment method and location, such as online or via UAE mobile.

• Tap started in May 2013 in Kuwait, allowing Middle East businesses to bill, accept, receive and make payments online “easier, faster and smoother” via goSell and goCollect. It supports more than 10,000 merchants. Monthly fees range from US$65-100, plus card charges of 2.75-3.75 per cent and Dh1.2 per sale.

• 2checkout’s “all-in-one payment gateway and merchant account” accepts payments in 200-plus markets for 2.4-3.9 per cent, plus a Dh1.2-Dh1.8 currency conversion charge. The US provider processes online shop and mobile transactions and has 17,000-plus active digital commerce users.

• PayPal is probably the best-known online goods payment method - usually used for eBay purchases -  but can be used to receive funds, providing everyone’s signed up. Costs from 2.9 per cent plus Dh1.2 per transaction.

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 

THE BIO

Occupation: Specialised chief medical laboratory technologist

Age: 78

Favourite destination: Always Al Ain “Dar Al Zain”

Hobbies: his work  - “ the thing which I am most passionate for and which occupied all my time in the morning and evening from 1963 to 2019”

Other hobbies: football

Favorite football club: Al Ain Sports Club

 

EXPATS
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History's medical milestones

1799 - First small pox vaccine administered

1846 - First public demonstration of anaesthesia in surgery

1861 - Louis Pasteur published his germ theory which proved that bacteria caused diseases

1895 - Discovery of x-rays

1923 - Heart valve surgery performed successfully for first time

1928 - Alexander Fleming discovers penicillin

1953 - Structure of DNA discovered

1952 - First organ transplant - a kidney - takes place 

1954 - Clinical trials of birth control pill

1979 - MRI, or magnetic resonance imaging, scanned used to diagnose illness and injury.

1998 - The first adult live-donor liver transplant is carried out

Women%E2%80%99s%20T20%20World%20Cup%20Qualifier
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Timeline

2012-2015

The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East

May 2017

The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts

September 2021

Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act

October 2021

Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence 

December 2024

Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group

May 2025

The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan

July 2025

The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan

August 2025

Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision

October 2025

Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange

November 2025

180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE

On Women's Day
Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere

Director: Scott Cooper

Starring: Jeremy Allen White, Odessa Young, Jeremy Strong

Rating: 4/5

FootballSport