In the 18th minute of the last World Cup final, a deft free-kick from Antoine Griezmann opened the scoring, forcing an own goal that put France in control.
It’s rare sight these days to see Griezmann on the pitch so early in a fixture.
In that final Croatia would equalise 10 minutes later, but on a see-saw, thrilling night in Moscow, France mostly posed the harder questions.
Before half-time Blaise Matuidi’s pressure in the penalty box, as Griezmann applied his set-piece expertise again from a corner, provoked another error, a handball by Ivan Perisic, Griezmann converting the penalty.
Matuidi? He has not appeared on any pitch, anywhere since January and, at 35 and without a club, he edges towards his official retirement.
Goal number three in France’s 4-2 victory was a wonderful strike, set up by Griezmann for Paul Pogba to apply precision and power to a shot from the edge of the penalty area. Pogba was a headliner in this summer’s transfer window with the second move of his career from Manchester United to Juventus, but has not seen any competitive action at all since early April and because of his decision to delay, then belatedly undergo surgery on a knee problem, may not play for Juve this calendar year.
All of which preys on the mind of the coach, Didier Deschamps, who guided France to that World Cup triumph and has cherished the methods and many of the players who participated in the final. Various of them are out of sorts, one way or another, making Deschamps acutely aware of the relative powerlessness of the manager in international football.
France beat Croatia 4-2 in 2018 World Cup final - in pictures
He’d like to see more of Griezmann in action at weekends. But the 31-year-old has spent his club season, at Atletico Madrid, so far in a bizarre situation, constrained by Atletico’s posture towards Griezmann’s parent club, Barcelona. The Catalans loaned him back to Atletico, where he previously spent five years, 13 months ago on a two-year deal that included a clause that said he would be permanently transferred for €40 million if he played more than half the matches he was available for.
A "match" is defined as meaning at least 45 minutes on the pitch. Having played 81 per cent of his available games in 2021-22 for Atletico, the club gave orders, in August, to head coach Diego Simeone that for the time being, Griezmann should play less than 45 minutes each game if possible.
Like clockwork, the France star has been coming on after the 60th minute, game after game, until a rare start in Sunday’s defeat in the Madrid derby. Atletico’s intention is to pressure Barcelona into lowering the sale price by threatening that they may get no transfer fee at all.
Deschamps, who has capped Griezmann 108 times, would prefer the forward to build his momentum to the World Cup in a less stop-start way, but can only shrug at how a squabble between clubs is affecting a key player.
France win 2021 Nations League final - in pictures
“Well,” he suggested, calling up Griezmann for the two Uefa Nations League matches – against Austria and Denmark – that represent the last gathering before World Cup training begins in November, “at least he won’t be tired. You have to look for the good side of his situation.”
Positives are harder to be found in Pogba’s long layoff and the chances of a midfielder who for most of the past six years has been more reliably dynamic for France than he was for United being in the best condition come late November are dwindling. After his surgery earlier this month an eight-week recuperation was forecast. Juventus say they do not expect to see him in action for them until January.
There is concern too, about the prospects for N’Golo Kante, the motor of Les Bleus in the summer of 2018. The Chelsea midfielder has missed, through injury, more than half his possible France matches in the period since then. Kante is on a long list of absentees for this fortnight’s gathering.
Karim Benzema, recalled by Deschamps last year after a five-year gap in his international career because he and the head coach had fallen out, is recovering from a muscle problem.
Likewise Lucas Hernandez, the Bayern Munich defender and a starter in the Moscow final. The obvious replacement for Hernandez, Presnel Kimpembe, of Paris Saint-Germain, suffered a hamstring injury that could keep him on the sidelines until the very end of October. Juventus’s Adrien Rabiot, best placed, in terms of his seniority, to cover some of the Pogba-Kante gap, is also out.
Croatia beat France 2-1 in Nations League - in pictures
One blessing for Deschamps, who could be replaced by Zinedine Zidane after the World Cup, is that the Nations League matches were already a canvas for experimenting, for exploring alternatives to his tried-and-tested line-up for Qatar, where the group opponents will be Australia, Tunisia and Denmark.
That’s because the Nations League campaign has fallen flat already, with just two points yielded from four games.
Les Bleus were the Nations League title-holders, too, before they embarked on this edition of the Uefa tournament. Their insipid showing in their defence of it is a reminder that, however strong France’s resources seem on paper, they need key men fit and in form to still look like champions.
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Price, base / as tested: Dh276,675 / Dh346,800
Engine: 3.0-litre turbocharged in-line six-cylinder
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 354hp @ 5,500rpm
Torque: 500Nm @ 1,550rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 9.0L / 100km
A list of the animal rescue organisations in the UAE
RESULTS - ELITE MEN
1. Henri Schoeman (RSA) 57:03
2. Mario Mola (ESP) 57:09
3. Vincent Luis (FRA) 57:25
4. Leo Bergere (FRA)57:34
5. Jacob Birtwhistle (AUS) 57:40
6. Joao Silva (POR) 57:45
7. Jonathan Brownlee (GBR) 57:56
8. Adrien Briffod (SUI) 57:57
9. Gustav Iden (NOR) 57:58
10. Richard Murray (RSA) 57:59
BMW M5 specs
Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
Power: 727hp
Torque: 1,000Nm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km
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The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now
Why are asylum seekers being housed in hotels?
The number of asylum applications in the UK has reached a new record high, driven by those illegally entering the country in small boats crossing the English Channel.
A total of 111,084 people applied for asylum in the UK in the year to June 2025, the highest number for any 12-month period since current records began in 2001.
Asylum seekers and their families can be housed in temporary accommodation while their claim is assessed.
The Home Office provides the accommodation, meaning asylum seekers cannot choose where they live.
When there is not enough housing, the Home Office can move people to hotels or large sites like former military bases.
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The Baghdad Clock
Shahad Al Rawi, Oneworld
Fixtures
Friday Leganes v Alaves, 10.15pm; Valencia v Las Palmas, 12.15am
Saturday Celta Vigo v Real Sociedad, 8.15pm; Girona v Atletico Madrid, 10.15pm; Sevilla v Espanyol, 12.15am
Sunday Athletic Bilbao v Getafe, 8.15am; Barcelona v Real Betis, 10.15pm; Deportivo v Real Madrid, 12.15am
Monday Levante v Villarreal, 10.15pm; Malaga v Eibar, midnight
How much of your income do you need to save?
The more you save, the sooner you can retire. Tuan Phan, a board member of SimplyFI.com, says if you save just 5 per cent of your salary, you can expect to work for another 66 years before you are able to retire without too large a drop in income.
In other words, you will not save enough to retire comfortably. If you save 15 per cent, you can forward to another 43 working years. Up that to 40 per cent of your income, and your remaining working life drops to just 22 years. (see table)
Obviously, this is only a rough guide. How much you save will depend on variables, not least your salary and how much you already have in your pension pot. But it shows what you need to do to achieve financial independence.
Other IPL batting records
Most sixes: 292 – Chris Gayle
Most fours: 491 – Gautam Gambhir
Highest individual score: 175 not out – Chris Gayle (for Royal Challengers Bangalore against Pune Warriors in 2013)
Highest strike-rate: 177.29 – Andre Russell
Highest strike-rate in an innings: 422.22 – Chris Morris (for Delhi Daredevils against Rising Pune Supergiant in 2017)
Highest average: 52.16 – Vijay Shankar
Most centuries: 6 – Chris Gayle
Most fifties: 36 – Gautam Gambhir
Fastest hundred (balls faced): 30 – Chris Gayle (for Royal Challengers Bangalore against Pune Warriors in 2013)
Fastest fifty (balls faced): 14 – Lokesh Rahul (for Kings XI Punjab against Delhi Daredevils in 2018)
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
Sholto Byrnes on Myanmar politics
Schedule:
Sept 15: Bangladesh v Sri Lanka (Dubai)
Sept 16: Pakistan v Qualifier (Dubai)
Sept 17: Sri Lanka v Afghanistan (Abu Dhabi)
Sept 18: India v Qualifier (Dubai)
Sept 19: India v Pakistan (Dubai)
Sept 20: Bangladesh v Afghanistan (Abu Dhabi) Super Four
Sept 21: Group A Winner v Group B Runner-up (Dubai)
Sept 21: Group B Winner v Group A Runner-up (Abu Dhabi)
Sept 23: Group A Winner v Group A Runner-up (Dubai)
Sept 23: Group B Winner v Group B Runner-up (Abu Dhabi)
Sept 25: Group A Winner v Group B Winner (Dubai)
Sept 26: Group A Runner-up v Group B Runner-up (Abu Dhabi)
Sept 28: Final (Dubai)
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.
Washmen Profile
Date Started: May 2015
Founders: Rami Shaar and Jad Halaoui
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Laundry
Employees: 170
Funding: about $8m
Funders: Addventure, B&Y Partners, Clara Ventures, Cedar Mundi Partners, Henkel Ventures
Tailors and retailers miss out on back-to-school rush
Tailors and retailers across the city said it was an ominous start to what is usually a busy season for sales.
With many parents opting to continue home learning for their children, the usual rush to buy school uniforms was muted this year.
“So far we have taken about 70 to 80 orders for items like shirts and trousers,” said Vikram Attrai, manager at Stallion Bespoke Tailors in Dubai.
“Last year in the same period we had about 200 orders and lots of demand.
“We custom fit uniform pieces and use materials such as cotton, wool and cashmere.
“Depending on size, a white shirt with logo is priced at about Dh100 to Dh150 and shorts, trousers, skirts and dresses cost between Dh150 to Dh250 a piece.”
A spokesman for Threads, a uniform shop based in Times Square Centre Dubai, said customer footfall had slowed down dramatically over the past few months.
“Now parents have the option to keep children doing online learning they don’t need uniforms so it has quietened down.”
The biog
Favourite pet: cats. She has two: Eva and Bito
Favourite city: Cape Town, South Africa
Hobby: Running. "I like to think I’m artsy but I’m not".
Favourite move: Romantic comedies, specifically Return to me. "I cry every time".
Favourite spot in Abu Dhabi: Saadiyat beach
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
Our legal consultant
Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
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Red flags
- Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
- Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
- Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
- Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
- Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.
Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
The Details
Article 15
Produced by: Carnival Cinemas, Zee Studios
Directed by: Anubhav Sinha
Starring: Ayushmann Khurrana, Kumud Mishra, Manoj Pahwa, Sayani Gupta, Zeeshan Ayyub
Our rating: 4/5
UAE squad
Rohan Mustafa (captain), Ashfaq Ahmed, Ghulam Shabber, Rameez Shahzad, Mohammed Boota, Mohammed Usman, Adnan Mufti, Shaiman Anwar, Ahmed Raza, Imran Haider, Qadeer Ahmed, Mohammed Naveed, Amir Hayat, Zahoor Khan
War 2
Director: Ayan Mukerji
Stars: Hrithik Roshan, NTR, Kiara Advani, Ashutosh Rana
Rating: 2/5
