UAE striker Ali Mabkhout has said he would ask his club about a move to Europe after he finished the Asian Cup with a tournament-leading five goals.
The prolific striker stroked home a nerveless penalty in the second half to seal a 3-2 win over Iraq and third place at the tournament for the attractive UAE side.
Mabkhout, who plays for Al Jazira in Abu Dhabi, said he now wanted to make the leap to Europe and revealed that a club from Germany’s Bundesliga had made tentative enquiries.
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“I want to play for a club in Europe,” the 24-year-old said after Friday’s win in Newcastle.
“When I get back to my club I will speak to them about going to Europe because teams there are better than in my country,” he added.
The striker said he had received an indirect approach from a German club who were now talking to his representatives, but he wouldn’t reveal which team.
Mabkhout top-scored in Asian Cup qualifying with five and he bagged another five to be the leading marksman at November’s Gulf Cup.
And his eye for goal didn’t waver in Australia as he netted another five — including the tournament’s fastest ever score, after just 14 seconds against Bahrain.
His match-winning spot-kick against Iraq to secure the bronze medal for UAE gives him a strong chance of winning the Asian Cup’s golden boot.
Australia’s Tim Cahill goes into Saturday’s final against South Korea, who are yet to concede a goal, two behind Mabkhout with three so far in the tournament.
“I wanted to take home the top scorer award,” said Mabkhout. “It is very good for me to achieve this. But I will not stop there. I will continue to get better and score goals.”
Mabkhout’s team-mate Ahmed Khalil scored twice on Friday to reach four goals, but the stand-in captain selflessly allowed his strike partner to take the decisive penalty.
“He is my friend,” Mabkhout said of Khalil, 23. “If he had scored a hat-trick and taken top scorer I would have been happy for him.”
He added: “I told him I wanted to take it (the penalty) and he said ‘no problem you can shoot’.”
Mabkhout duly slotted the spot-kick past goalkeeper Mohammed Hameed to reach 10 goals in his last 10 games for UAE and put one hand on the Asian Cup top-scorer’s award.
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RESULTS
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Company profile
Name: Dukkantek
Started: January 2021
Founders: Sanad Yaghi, Ali Al Sayegh and Shadi Joulani
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Fines for littering
In Dubai:
Dh200 for littering or spitting in the Dubai Metro
Dh500 for throwing cigarette butts or chewing gum on the floor, or littering from a vehicle.
Dh1,000 for littering on a beach, spitting in public places, throwing a cigarette butt from a vehicle
In Sharjah and other emirates
Dh500 for littering - including cigarette butts and chewing gum - in public places and beaches in Sharjah
Dh2,000 for littering in Sharjah deserts
Dh500 for littering from a vehicle in Ras Al Khaimah
Dh1,000 for littering from a car in Abu Dhabi
Dh1,000 to Dh100,000 for dumping waste in residential or public areas in Al Ain
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Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
Skewed figures
In the village of Mevagissey in southwest England the housing stock has doubled in the last century while the number of residents is half the historic high. The village's Neighbourhood Development Plan states that 26% of homes are holiday retreats. Prices are high, averaging around £300,000, £50,000 more than the Cornish average of £250,000. The local average wage is £15,458.
How to wear a kandura
Dos
- Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion
- Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
- Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work
- Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester
Don’ts
- Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal
- Buy a kandura only based on how it feels; ask questions about the fabric and understand what you are buying
The Al Barzakh Festival takes place on Wednesday and Thursday at 7.30pm in the Red Theatre, NYUAD, Saadiyat Island. Tickets cost Dh105 for adults from platinumlist.net
Ms Yang's top tips for parents new to the UAE
- Join parent networks
- Look beyond school fees
- Keep an open mind
Our legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Tips for taking the metro
- set out well ahead of time
- make sure you have at least Dh15 on you Nol card, as there could be big queues for top-up machines
- enter the right cabin. The train may be too busy to move between carriages once you're on
- don't carry too much luggage and tuck it under a seat to make room for fellow passengers
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg
Bayern Munich 1
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Real Madrid 2
Marcelo (43'), Asensio (56')
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The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
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9.30pm: Forever Young
