DUBAI // Caio Canedo, Al Wasl’s Brazilian attacking midfielder, is keen to turn his loan into a permanent deal following a stunning debut season in the Arabian Gulf League.
Caio, who has played for a host of top Brazilian clubs including Botafogo, Figueirense and Internacional, has been one of the best foreign players of the season, scoring 19 goals in 28 league and League Cup matches for the Dubai club.
The 24-year-old has struck up a formidable attacking partnership with fellow Brazilians Fabio Lima and Ederson, and together they scored 46 of Wasl’s 53 goals in the Arabian Gulf League, to guide Wasl to sixth-place — their highest finish since 2010.
And Caio has revealed he is delighted with the way the season has unfolded.
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"It has been really great playing alongside them," Caio said in an interview Brazilian newspaper O Dia. "Fabio has come from Atletico Goianiense and Ederson from Atletico Paranaense, but we gelled together really fast.
“We have scored more goals than 10 clubs in the league and eight in the Qatari league. Sometimes we joke that we [the three Brazilians] are the Gulf version of Barcelona’s trio of Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar.
“Here, they do not have much patience with foreign players and not every player coming here has done well. Some people have problems in adapting and Everton Ribeiro, who is playing here too [at Al Ahli], is having a few difficulties. Thankfully, in our case it was different.”
Having grown up in the United States, Caio, 24, said he believes his fluency in English helped him settle and, except for the “infernal” heat, for example, he has had few problems since arriving on loan from Internacional last summer.
“Otherwise, the adaptation was very easy,” Caio said. “Everyone speaks English here and I am fluent in the language. So I have had no problems on or off the field.”
Such is his happiness at Al Wasl, combined with the financial benefits, Caio does not see himself returning home anytime soon. He wants to follow in the footsteps of Emerson Sheikh, a former Al Ain and Al Sadd star.
“I always wanted to leave Brazil and financially this proposal weighed heavily,” Caio said. “My family depends on me [financially] a lot and I have to think about them first. So as soon as I received this proposal, I did not think twice before embracing it. I had absolutely no hesitation.
“From my heart, I do not think about nor do I see the point of playing in Europe or returning to Brazil, despite having a contract with Internacional until 2018. I am happy here and I think about the future of my family. They depend on me.
“So maybe like Sheikh, I will return only once I am settled financially. As for the national team, I am a realist and I know that playing here means zero chance for me.”
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The Gandhi Murder
- 71 - Years since the death of MK Gandhi, also christened India's Father of the Nation
- 34 - Nationalities featured in the film The Gandhi Murder
- 7 - million dollars, the film's budget
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The biog
Name: Abeer Al Shahi
Emirate: Sharjah – Khor Fakkan
Education: Master’s degree in special education, preparing for a PhD in philosophy.
Favourite activities: Bungee jumping
Favourite quote: “My people and I will not settle for anything less than first place” – Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid.
NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
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
At a glance
Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year
Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month
Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30
Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse
Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth
Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances
Going grey? A stylist's advice
If you’re going to go grey, a great style, well-cared for hair (in a sleek, classy style, like a bob), and a young spirit and attitude go a long way, says Maria Dowling, founder of the Maria Dowling Salon in Dubai.
It’s easier to go grey from a lighter colour, so you may want to do that first. And this is the time to try a shorter style, she advises. Then a stylist can introduce highlights, start lightening up the roots, and let it fade out. Once it’s entirely grey, a purple shampoo will prevent yellowing.
“Get professional help – there’s no other way to go around it,” she says. “And don’t just let it grow out because that looks really bad. Put effort into it: properly condition, straighten, get regular trims, make sure it’s glossy.”
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.
Queen
Nicki Minaj
(Young Money/Cash Money)
Thanksgiving meals to try
World Cut Steakhouse, Habtoor Palace Hotel, Dubai. On Thursday evening, head chef Diego Solis will be serving a high-end sounding four-course meal that features chestnut veloute with smoked duck breast, turkey roulade accompanied by winter vegetables and foie gras and pecan pie, cranberry compote and popcorn ice cream.
Jones the Grocer, various locations across the UAE. Jones’s take-home holiday menu delivers on the favourites: whole roast turkeys, an array of accompaniments (duck fat roast potatoes, sausages wrapped in beef bacon, honey-glazed parsnips and carrots) and more, as well as festive food platters, canapes and both apple and pumpkin pies.
Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse, The Address Hotel, Dubai. This New Orleans-style restaurant is keen to take the stress out of entertaining, so until December 25 you can order a full seasonal meal from its Takeaway Turkey Feast menu, which features turkey, homemade gravy and a selection of sides – think green beans with almond flakes, roasted Brussels sprouts, sweet potato casserole and bread stuffing – to pick up and eat at home.
The Mattar Farm Kitchen, Dubai. From now until Christmas, Hattem Mattar and his team will be producing game- changing smoked turkeys that you can enjoy at home over the festive period.
Nolu’s, The Galleria Mall, Maryah Island Abu Dhabi. With much of the menu focused on a California inspired “farm to table” approach (with Afghani influence), it only seems right that Nolu’s will be serving their take on the Thanksgiving spread, with a brunch at the Downtown location from 12pm to 4pm on Friday.
The biog
Hometown: Cairo
Age: 37
Favourite TV series: The Handmaid’s Tale, Black Mirror
Favourite anime series: Death Note, One Piece and Hellsing
Favourite book: Designing Brand Identity, Fifth Edition
The specs: 2018 Harley-Davidson Fat Boy
Price, base / as tested Dh97,600
Engine 1,745cc Milwaukee-Eight v-twin engine
Transmission Six-speed gearbox
Power 78hp @ 5,250rpm
Torque 145Nm @ 3,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined 5.0L / 100km (estimate)
Test
Director: S Sashikanth
Cast: Nayanthara, Siddharth, Meera Jasmine, R Madhavan
Star rating: 2/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
