Fresh from creating a stir at the World Cup Diego Maradona arrived in Belarus on Monday to begin the latest chapter in his colourful career.
Argentina's 1986 World Cup winner insisted that his new role as chairman of Premier League side Dinamo Brest was "very serious" and said he hoped his presence would help the country's sport "get better every day".
His arrival, in typical over-the-top fashion in a military-style open-top car, failed to have the desired impact though as Maradona's first match in his new role at Brest saw the side suffer a 3-1 home defeat against fourth-placed Shakhtyor.
Speaking before the game, in which the 57-year-old former Argentina national team and Al Wasl manager was given a rapturous welcome by Dinamo Brest supporters, Maradona also expressed a wish to meet authoritarian Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko.
"I have very good memories of Fidel Castro, [Hugo] Chavez and [Muammar] Gaddafi and I also know [Vladimir] Putin," the former Argentina No 10 said at a news conference, listing late leaders of Cuba, Venezuela and Libya and the current Russian president.
"Now I want to do a photograph with Lukashenko," he said of the former collective farm boss who has ruled the ex-Soviet state with an iron grip since 1994.
"I hope after that he will become our fan," he added, speaking Spanish in translated comments.
Lukashenko is better known as an avid ice hockey player.
Maradona signed a three-year contract with his new employers during a presentation at the Emirates Palace Hotel in May. It followed an acrimonious split with UAE first division club Fujairah a month earlier, after failing to guide the club to promotion to the Arabian Gulf League despite going the entire season in Division One undefeated.
Dinamo Brest are sixth in the table just before the halfway point in the Belarusian Premier League season.
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Read more:
Diego Maradona offers to coach Argentina 'for free'
Diego Maradona 'angry' over World Cup health scare coverage
Diego Maradona's appointment 'a good deal for everybody' says Dynamo Brest official
Diego Maradona will 'definitely take Emirati players' with him to Dynamo Brest
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The Argentine spoke of his desire to settle in Belarus, which is sandwiched between Russia and Ukraine and EU members Latvia, Lithuania and Poland, saying he did not fear the cold.
"When I was small, I had no shoes and I walked barefoot. So I'm not afraid of snow. I can live in Belarus without any problems," said Maradona, who grew up in a shantytown.
He also said he was planning to learn Russian.
"We'll try to create a team that will battle for the best places," said the former Ballon d'Or winner whose infamous "Hand of God" goal against England helped Argentina win the 1986 World Cup.
Pictures: Maradona's roller-coaster of emotions during match against Nigeria
One of the greatest players of all-time, he became an increasing subject of ridicule at the World Cup in Russia.
He made an obscene gesture from the VIP box to celebrate Argentina's dramatic 2-1 win over Nigeria which sent them into the last 16, drawing plenty of criticism.
Even after his country's exit at the hands of France, he managed to keep himself in the limelight claiming that he would turn the team's fortunes around if named coach, and then being rebuked by Fifa after ranting about the officials following Colombia's loss to England.
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The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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SERIE A FIXTURES
Saturday Benevento v Atalanta (2pm), Genoa v Bologna (5pm), AC Milan v Torino (7.45pm)
Sunday Roma v Inter Milan (3.30pm), Udinese v Napoli, Hellas Verona v Crotone, Parma v Lazio (2pm), Fiorentina v Cagliari (9pm), Juventus v Sassuolo (11.45pm)
Monday Spezia v Sampdoria (11.45pm)
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
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
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
What can you do?
Document everything immediately; including dates, times, locations and witnesses
Seek professional advice from a legal expert
You can report an incident to HR or an immediate supervisor
You can use the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation’s dedicated hotline
In criminal cases, you can contact the police for additional support
The biog
Favourite colour: Brown
Favourite Movie: Resident Evil
Hobbies: Painting, Cooking, Imitating Voices
Favourite food: Pizza
Trivia: Was the voice of three characters in the Emirati animation, Shaabiyat Al Cartoon
EMIRATES'S%20REVISED%20A350%20DEPLOYMENT%20SCHEDULE
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Infiniti QX80 specs
Engine: twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6
Power: 450hp
Torque: 700Nm
Price: From Dh450,000, Autograph model from Dh510,000
Available: Now
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 banned).
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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ZAYED SUSTAINABILITY PRIZE
RACE CARD
5pm: Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 1,400m
5.30pm: Handicap (TB) Dh70,000 1,000m
6pm: Maiden (PA) Dh70,000 2,000m
6.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 2,000m
7pm: Maiden (PA) Dh70,000 1,600m
7.30pm: Al Ain Mile Group 3 (PA) Dh350,000 1,600m
8pm: Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 1,600m
Amith's selections:
5pm: AF Sail
5.30pm: Dahawi
6pm: Taajer
6.30pm: Pharitz Oubai
7pm: Winked
7.30pm: Shahm
8pm: Raniah
Gertrude Bell's life in focus
A feature film
At one point, two feature films were in the works, but only German director Werner Herzog’s project starring Nicole Kidman would be made. While there were high hopes he would do a worthy job of directing the biopic, when Queen of the Desert arrived in 2015 it was a disappointment. Critics panned the film, in which Herzog largely glossed over Bell’s political work in favour of her ill-fated romances.
A documentary
A project that did do justice to Bell arrived the next year: Sabine Krayenbuhl and Zeva Oelbaum’s Letters from Baghdad: The Extraordinary Life and Times of Gertrude Bell. Drawing on more than 1,000 pieces of archival footage, 1,700 documents and 1,600 letters, the filmmakers painstakingly pieced together a compelling narrative that managed to convey both the depth of Bell’s experience and her tortured love life.
Books, letters and archives
Two biographies have been written about Bell, and both are worth reading: Georgina Howell’s 2006 book Queen of the Desert and Janet Wallach’s 1996 effort Desert Queen. Bell published several books documenting her travels and there are also several volumes of her letters, although they are hard to find in print. Original documents are housed at the Gertrude Bell Archive at the University of Newcastle, which has an online catalogue.