Gerard Pique may be known for his football talent, but he’s about to showcase his skills on the basketball court instead.
The Spaniard is in the UAE capital to participate in a hybrid basketball-football match. It will be held during Fan Appreciation Day at Etihad Arena on Saturday as part of the NBA Abu Dhabi Games weekender. He’ll compete alongside other football greats such as Ronaldinho, Thierry Henry, Luis Figo, Iker Casillas and Roberto Carlos. Although there’s some tough competition, how does Pique think he’ll fare?
“I don't know the level of the other players," he says with a laugh during an exclusive interview with The National. "Let's see, I'm one of the best, for sure but I don't know if I'm the best."
While he may not be as confident in his basketball ability, Pique found success making a name for himself as a top-notch defender for Barcelona and the Spanish national team. Even though it was football that brought him success, he says he’s always been a basketball fan and even played when he was a child before he ultimately chose to pursue football.
“When I was very young, I was playing football and basketball at the same time. Finally, I decided to go for football,” he says. “It was my decision, but basketball is another sport that I like, and I follow NBA matches.”
His favourite team is the Los Angeles Lakers, who he admits “aren’t having the greatest time” but credits another fellow renowned athlete as to why he enjoys watching them anyway. “I think that LeBron [James] is a machine. He’s 39, still playing at the top level, so it's amazing.”
Since retiring from playing professionally in 2022, Pique has kept busy. While he’s made headlines for a messy split with former partner Shakira, he has found some peace in having more control over what he does in his daily life.
“You change your whole routine. Instead of training in the morning, you do other things or other stuff. But in general, I'm pretty happy,” he says. “Now it's two years after retirement, and I can say that I'm busy, I'm doing a lot of things and I like this life.”
This new life includes creating the King’s League, a seven-a-side football competition that combines the sport with new entertainment formats. He launched the league in January last year and it is currently in its second season.
The league has unique rules such as unlimited substitutions, a golden card system (that provides advantages such as a penalty kick or removing an opposing player for two minutes) and sin bins where players can be temporarily sent off for certain offences.
Now it's two years after retirement, and I can say that I'm busy, I'm doing a lot of things and I like this life
Gerard Pique,
former Barcelona football player
Matches are live-streamed on platforms such as Twitch and YouTube and feature a mix of ex-professional players and influencers. The idea behind it is to reach a younger audience who are consuming sports entertainment differently. He is proud of how far the league has come, with selling out stadiums as a sign of its popularity.
“I cannot say more good things than this, because at the end of the day, it's been a hell of a journey," he says. "We've sold out stadiums like Camp Nou [Barcelona's stadium] and Atletico Madrid's stadium.”
Following the success of the league’s inaugural season, there are plans to expand. The World Cup is happening for the first time in January and will have Italy playing Spain, Germany and so on.
He adds: “It's the first time that we are doing a competition like this. And after that, we will launch a few leagues in February in different countries, Europe and Brazil. At the end of the day, what we want is to create, really an ecosystem of them, to have big leagues the best team from each league qualifies for the World Cup of clubs that will happen in June.”
Any chance for the league to come to the UAE one day? “We're in conversations,” he says. “We would love to have a league here, like a regional league in Mena, and I hope for next year, we can bring it here.”
In the meantime, as King's League fans in the region await the arrival of a new team to support, Pique is in Abu Dhabi for basketball. Inspired by stars like James, who still competes at a high level despite his age, Pique maintains a strong bond with football, stemming from his illustrious career on the pitch. So, could he ever see himself returning to the field?
“Not really. I love to compete and have that adrenalin of really trying to win,” he says. “When you are at a club like Barca, your obligations are to win every game, and you're playing every three days. At the end of the day, you are exposed to a lot of pressure, but it's fine. It was a great journey.”
Fan Appreciation Day is at Etihad Arena on Saturday, door opens at 3pm, event starts at 4.30pm
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- Do not submit your application through the Easy Apply button on LinkedIn. Employers receive between 600 and 800 replies for each job advert on the platform. If you are the right fit for a job, connect to a relevant person in the company on LinkedIn and send them a direct message.
- Make sure you are an exact fit for the job advertised. If you are an HR manager with five years’ experience in retail and the job requires a similar candidate with five years’ experience in consumer, you should apply. But if you have no experience in HR, do not apply for the job.
David Mackenzie, founder of recruitment agency Mackenzie Jones Middle East
ESSENTIALS
The flights
Etihad (etihad.com) flies from Abu Dhabi to Mykonos, with a flight change to its partner airline Olympic Air in Athens. Return flights cost from Dh4,105 per person, including taxes.
Where to stay
The modern-art-filled Ambassador hotel (myconianambassador.gr) is 15 minutes outside Mykonos Town on a hillside 500 metres from the Platis Gialos Beach, with a bus into town every 30 minutes (a taxi costs €15 [Dh66]). The Nammos and Scorpios beach clubs are a 10- to 20-minute walk (or water-taxi ride) away. All 70 rooms have a large balcony, many with a Jacuzzi, and of the 15 suites, five have a plunge pool. There’s also a private eight-bedroom villa. Double rooms cost from €240 (Dh1,063) including breakfast, out of season, and from €595 (Dh2,636) in July/August.
What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
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Torque: 220Nm @ 1,480rpm (Cooper) / 280Nm @ 1,350rpm (Cooper S)
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 4.8L to 5.4L / 100km
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It is 10 years since a ground-breaking report into the Muslim Brotherhood by Sir John Jenkins.
Among the former diplomat's findings was an assessment that “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” has “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
The prime minister at the time, David Cameron, who commissioned the report, said membership or association with the Muslim Brotherhood was a "possible indicator of extremism" but it would not be banned.
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This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
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Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
The specs
Engine: four-litre V6 and 3.5-litre V6 twin-turbo
Transmission: six-speed and 10-speed
Power: 271 and 409 horsepower
Torque: 385 and 650Nm
Price: from Dh229,900 to Dh355,000
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