A former UAE international goalkeeper who once played under the legendary Diego Maradona is backing fellow Argentine great Lionel Messi for World Cup glory in Qatar - despite being a life-long fan of fierce rivals Brazil.
Majed Naser, 38, capped 72 times by the Emirates, is switching his South American allegiances for Doha in the hopes of seeing one of the world's greatest players cap off a remarkable career in style.
Paris St Germain star Messi has hinted that he will retire from international football following the tournament, with his quest to finally lift a World Cup trophy.
Naser, who plays for Dubai-based Shabab Al Ahli, is eager to see the mercurial playmaker go one step further than in the 2014 final, when he suffered heartbreak at the hands of Germany.
The veteran player was part of the Al Wasl side managed by the late Maradona a decade ago.
Now he wants to see Messi join his illustrious compatriot as a World Cup winner.
“I'm doing so because I would love to see Messi end his professional career winning the World Cup,” he said.
“It's the last tournament he could take part in, that's why I really wish Argentina wins.”
Naser wants Arab nations competing in Doha to shine bright in the first World Cup held in the Middle East.
“These teams will be representing professional Arab football and I wish they will show real improvement.”
Will Brazil spoil the party?
Waleed Hussain, who joined Abu Dhabi's Al Wahda this year after five years with Shabab Al Ali, is also dreaming of a fairytale final for former Barcelona hero Messi.
“I expect Brazil, France and Argentina to make it to semifinals and really wish Argentina wins the cup,” the 30-year-old said.
“Because I want it to be the happy ending to Messi’s career in football.”
Mohammed Al Daheri, who recently became the first Emirati player to sign with a team in the Iraqi Premier League, expects Brazil to spoil the party and secure a record-extending sixth Jules Rimet Trophy
“I expect Brazil to win the world cup in Qatar, leaving Argentina in second place and France in third, after failing to defend the title with its less than impressive performance lately,” said Al Daheri.
“Brazil has a strong team of young and experienced players, fierce defence and midfield line players, impressive strikers and two powerful goalkeepers.”
The left-back plans to watch the tournament at home but admits he would be desperate to attend if Brazil and Argentina clashed in the December 18 final.
A semi-final showdown appears more likely, but a dream final could be on the cards if either side does not win their group.
“I will watch the games on TV and probably at a cafe. But If the final happens to be between Brazil and Argentina, I will do everything to be in the stadium.”
Messi shoots for success - in pictures
ICC men's cricketer of the year
2004 - Rahul Dravid (IND) ; 2005 - Jacques Kallis (SA) and Andrew Flintoff (ENG); 2006 - Ricky Ponting (AUS); 2007 - Ricky Ponting; 2008 - Shivnarine Chanderpaul (WI); 2009 - Mitchell Johnson (AUS); 2010 - Sachin Tendulkar (IND); 2011 - Jonathan Trott (ENG); 2012 - Kumar Sangakkara (SL); 2013 - Michael Clarke (AUS); 2014 - Mitchell Johnson; 2015 - Steve Smith (AUS); 2016 - Ravichandran Ashwin (IND); 2017 - Virat Kohli (IND); 2018 - Virat Kohli; 2019 - Ben Stokes (ENG); 2021 - Shaheen Afridi
Low turnout
Two months before the first round on April 10, the appetite of voters for the election is low.
Mathieu Gallard, account manager with Ipsos, which conducted the most recent poll, said current forecasts suggested only two-thirds were "very likely" to vote in the first round, compared with a 78 per cent turnout in the 2017 presidential elections.
"It depends on how interesting the campaign is on their main concerns," he told The National. "Just now, it's hard to say who, between Macron and the candidates of the right, would be most affected by a low turnout."
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How to keep control of your emotions
If your investment decisions are being dictated by emotions such as fear, greed, hope, frustration and boredom, it is time for a rethink, Chris Beauchamp, chief market analyst at online trading platform IG, says.
Greed
Greedy investors trade beyond their means, open more positions than usual or hold on to positions too long to chase an even greater gain. “All too often, they incur a heavy loss and may even wipe out the profit already made.
Tip: Ignore the short-term hype, noise and froth and invest for the long-term plan, based on sound fundamentals.
Fear
The risk of making a loss can cloud decision-making. “This can cause you to close out a position too early, or miss out on a profit by being too afraid to open a trade,” he says.
Tip: Start with a plan, and stick to it. For added security, consider placing stops to reduce any losses and limits to lock in profits.
Hope
While all traders need hope to start trading, excessive optimism can backfire. Too many traders hold on to a losing trade because they believe that it will reverse its trend and become profitable.
Tip: Set realistic goals. Be happy with what you have earned, rather than frustrated by what you could have earned.
Frustration
Traders can get annoyed when the markets have behaved in unexpected ways and generates losses or fails to deliver anticipated gains.
Tip: Accept in advance that asset price movements are completely unpredictable and you will suffer losses at some point. These can be managed, say, by attaching stops and limits to your trades.
Boredom
Too many investors buy and sell because they want something to do. They are trading as entertainment, rather than in the hope of making money. As well as making bad decisions, the extra dealing charges eat into returns.
Tip: Open an online demo account and get your thrills without risking real money.
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