ABU DHABI // What a difference a deal makes.
Online interest in the capital has never been as high as during the past week, with more Google searches for Abu Dhabi than ever before.
More than 7,000 news articles have been written worldwide about the Manchester City takeover in the past two weeks.
The Google Insights application, which allows users to follow rising trends and track the popularity of Google searches worldwide, shows that interest in Abu Dhabi is growing considerably across the world.
The interest coincided with the takeover of Manchester City by the Abu Dhabi United Group on Aug 31. The next day saw the most Google searches for Abu Dhabi ever, although the number is not specified.
Previous highs for Google searches for Abu Dhabi include the announcement, in January 2007, of the city's first Grand Prix, and, weeks later, news that the Louvre was to open a branch in the capital.
Before the Manchester City deal, the largest number coincided with the visit of George W Bush in January.
Most searches for Abu Dhabi in the past 30 days came from the city itself, Dubai, London and Manchester.
Online interest in Manchester City among Abu Dhabi internet surfers has been less than enthusiastic so far, with cities such as Sao Paolo, Brussels and Lisbon searching for the club on Google more often than the capital itself over the past 30 days.
@Email:rhughes@thenational.ae
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The specs: 2018 Mazda CX-5
Price, base / as tested: Dh89,000 / Dh130,000
Engine: 2.5-litre four-cylinder
Power: 188hp @ 6,000rpm
Torque: 251Nm @ 4,000rpm
Transmission: Six-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 7.1L / 100km
Prop idols
Girls full-contact rugby may be in its infancy in the Middle East, but there are already a number of role models for players to look up to.
Sophie Shams (Dubai Exiles mini, England sevens international)
An Emirati student who is blazing a trail in rugby. She first learnt the game at Dubai Exiles and captained her JESS Primary school team. After going to study geophysics at university in the UK, she scored a sensational try in a cup final at Twickenham. She has played for England sevens, and is now contracted to top Premiership club Saracens.
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Seren Gough-Walters (Sharjah Wanderers mini, Wales rugby league international)
Few players anywhere will have taken a more circuitous route to playing rugby on Sky Sports. Gough-Walters was born in Al Wasl Hospital in Dubai, raised in Sharjah, did not take up rugby seriously till she was 15, has a master’s in global governance and ethics, and once worked as an immigration officer at the British Embassy in Abu Dhabi. In the summer of 2021 she played for Wales against England in rugby league, in a match that was broadcast live on TV.
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Erin King (Dubai Hurricanes mini, Ireland sevens international)
Aged five, Australia-born King went to Dubai Hurricanes training at The Sevens with her brothers. She immediately struck up a deep affection for rugby. She returned to the city at the end of last year to play at the Dubai Rugby Sevens in the colours of Ireland in the Women’s World Series tournament on Pitch 1.
