The Spanish international sipping mineral water in a restaurant on Manchester's Deansgate explained his reasons for joining Manchester City.
"The English Premier League is very attractive to every footballer in the world," said Albert Riera, who enjoyed going virtually unrecognised in one of the busiest places in the city.
"The clubs are very professional, too. There are some in Spain where you don't get paid on time. Here, that's never an issue. The clubs also help you adapt. I'm learning England and enjoying my career which has taken me to a new country."
Riera moved on to Liverpool and he now plays in Athens for Olympiakos, a new breed of nomadic Spanish footballer who earns his living far from his homeland.
Spanish footballers have not always travelled well. The experience of Fernando Morientes in Liverpool after signing from Real Madrid was a chastening one, while the sojourns of internationals Asier del Horno at Chelsea and Javier de Pedro at Blackburn in the middle of the last decade were brief and unsuccessful.
Cultural differences were often blamed. In 1996, Jordi Cruyff, the Dutch winger who grew up in Catalonia, left Barcelona for Manchester United.
"I didn't like the food, the weather or the city," he said. "And why do English clubs move 21-year-old players into big houses 20 kilometres from the city itself?"
More recently, Gerard Pique was asked if missed Manchester. His reply was simple: "No."
The situation is changing. While the English weather can never match sunnier Spanish climes, British cities have improved and become more international in the past 15 years, and the boom in flights means home is only two hours away. The way of living has also altered, players now occupying smart city-centre apartments. The Spaniard Rafa Benitez will be spending this Christmas in the house he calls home - in Liverpool.
Victory in the World Cup boosted the stock of Spanish football immeasurably, and 139 Spaniards now make their living around the world.
England boasts 25 of them, from Cesc Fabregas at Arsenal or Fernando Torres at Liverpool to Pablo Counago at Ipswich or the five Spaniards helping Swansea City push for promotion to the Premier League. Newcastle United's Jose Enrique is set to start today at St James' Park against David Silva of Manchester City.
Spain remains well short of the 3,000 Brazilians playing globally, but the number of Spaniards playing abroad has doubled in two years, their diaspora now stretching from Argentina to Japan, Russia to the United Arab Emirates (Francisco Yeste) and Qatar (Gabri).
There are other big-name Spanish players in surprising locations, like Guti at Besiktas in Turkey, Raul at Schalke 04 in Germany and Mista at Canada's Toronto FC. These are high-profile former internationals in the final chapters of their careers, looking for a new, well-remunerated experience.
Two other types leave Spain for pastures where the grass is greener, financially. Those in England's second tier earn from £3,000 to £10,000 a week (Dh17,400-58,000) - three times what they would expect to earn in the Spanish equivalent. They often find that they are technically superior to their English counterparts and that they excel. More familiar are the top-level stars who make the attention grabbing, big-money moves.
Players with Barcelona or Real Madrid on their CV have always been in demand. One reason why Manchester City rewarded Yaya Toure so well is that he was a proven first-teamer with Barcelona.
Toure's move was understood in Spain. Sergio Busquets, the Catalan, rather than Toure, an Ivorian, was the future defensive midfielder for Barca. The chance for Toure to join his brother was another attraction as were the wages and City's ambitious project to challenge for trophies. His formidable physical presence was also suited to English football; he has been one of City's best players in recent weeks.
Silva's move from Valencia to City was more surprising. Valencia fans knew he was leaving, the club needing the cash to help pay off their debts. They were happy that he would not come back to haunt them playing for Barca or Madrid, but surprised, too.
Silva is slight, homely and quiet, not characteristics you would associate with being desirable qualities for English football.
Yet the 24-year-old winger has adapted to life in England's north and become one of City's key performers, winning the club's player of the month awards for October and November. And unlike the former Spanish winger Riera who played the same position for City, World Cup-winner Silva is readily recognised, proof that both his and City's profile is in the ascendancy.
sports@thenational.ae
7pm, Abu Dhabi Sports 3
THE LIGHT
Director: Tom Tykwer
Starring: Tala Al Deen, Nicolette Krebitz, Lars Eidinger
Rating: 3/5
Company profile
Name: Back to Games and Boardgame Space
Started: Back to Games (2015); Boardgame Space (Mark Azzam became co-founder in 2017)
Founder: Back to Games (Mr Azzam); Boardgame Space (Mr Azzam and Feras Al Bastaki)
Based: Dubai and Abu Dhabi
Industry: Back to Games (retail); Boardgame Space (wholesale and distribution)
Funding: Back to Games: self-funded by Mr Azzam with Dh1.3 million; Mr Azzam invested Dh250,000 in Boardgame Space
Growth: Back to Games: from 300 products in 2015 to 7,000 in 2019; Boardgame Space: from 34 games in 2017 to 3,500 in 2019
How to avoid crypto fraud
- Use unique usernames and passwords while enabling multi-factor authentication.
- Use an offline private key, a physical device that requires manual activation, whenever you access your wallet.
- Avoid suspicious social media ads promoting fraudulent schemes.
- Only invest in crypto projects that you fully understand.
- Critically assess whether a project’s promises or returns seem too good to be true.
- Only use reputable platforms that have a track record of strong regulatory compliance.
- Store funds in hardware wallets as opposed to online exchanges.
SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20APPLE%20M3%20MACBOOK%20AIR%20(13%22)
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EProcessor%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Apple%20M3%2C%208-core%20CPU%2C%20up%20to%2010-core%20CPU%2C%2016-core%20Neural%20Engine%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDisplay%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2013.6-inch%20Liquid%20Retina%2C%202560%20x%201664%2C%20224ppi%2C%20500%20nits%2C%20True%20Tone%2C%20wide%20colour%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EMemory%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%208%2F16%2F24GB%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStorage%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20256%2F512GB%20%2F%201%2F2TB%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EI%2FO%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Thunderbolt%203%2FUSB-4%20(2)%2C%203.5mm%20audio%2C%20Touch%20ID%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EConnectivity%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Wi-Fi%206E%2C%20Bluetooth%205.3%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EBattery%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2052.6Wh%20lithium-polymer%2C%20up%20to%2018%20hours%2C%20MagSafe%20charging%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECamera%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%201080p%20FaceTime%20HD%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EVideo%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Support%20for%20Apple%20ProRes%2C%20HDR%20with%20Dolby%20Vision%2C%20HDR10%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EAudio%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204-speaker%20system%2C%20wide%20stereo%2C%20support%20for%20Dolby%20Atmos%2C%20Spatial%20Audio%20and%20dynamic%20head%20tracking%20(with%20AirPods)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EColours%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Midnight%2C%20silver%2C%20space%20grey%2C%20starlight%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EIn%20the%20box%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20MacBook%20Air%2C%2030W%2F35W%20dual-port%2F70w%20power%20adapter%2C%20USB-C-to-MagSafe%20cable%2C%202%20Apple%20stickers%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20From%20Dh4%2C599%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Plan to boost public schools
A major shake-up of government-run schools was rolled out across the country in 2017. Known as the Emirati School Model, it placed more emphasis on maths and science while also adding practical skills to the curriculum.
It was accompanied by the promise of a Dh5 billion investment, over six years, to pay for state-of-the-art infrastructure improvements.
Aspects of the school model will be extended to international private schools, the education minister has previously suggested.
Recent developments have also included the introduction of moral education - which public and private schools both must teach - along with reform of the exams system and tougher teacher licensing requirements.
COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
THE BIO
Favourite car: Koenigsegg Agera RS or Renault Trezor concept car.
Favourite book: I Am Pilgrim by Terry Hayes or Red Notice by Bill Browder.
Biggest inspiration: My husband Nik. He really got me through a lot with his positivity.
Favourite holiday destination: Being at home in Australia, as I travel all over the world for work. It’s great to just hang out with my husband and family.
Seven tips from Emirates NBD
1. Never respond to e-mails, calls or messages asking for account, card or internet banking details
2. Never store a card PIN (personal identification number) in your mobile or in your wallet
3. Ensure online shopping websites are secure and verified before providing card details
4. Change passwords periodically as a precautionary measure
5. Never share authentication data such as passwords, card PINs and OTPs (one-time passwords) with third parties
6. Track bank notifications regarding transaction discrepancies
7. Report lost or stolen debit and credit cards immediately
The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
On sale: Now