This year's the Ballon d’Or, the most prestigious individual prize in football will likely be handed to one of its serial winners in Lionel Messi. He won his first senior international trophy with Argentina in 2021 and, after all, his brilliance never fades.
On Sunday night, a contemporary of Messi’s also won his first senior international gold medal with his country, France. He is an outsider for the Ballon d’Or but, at 33, seems to get better and better and ever more influential for his teams. What would Real Madrid be without Karim Benzema? Where would France, now the holders of the Uefa Nations League after the dazzling second edition of its finals, be without him?
For more than five years, they chose to be without him. France did not select Benzema between late 2015 and the spring of this year, because of a series of off-the-pitch issues, the most enduring and apparently unsolvable a breakdown in trust between manager, Didier Deschamps, and player.
During the long exile, Benzema won three Champions Leagues with Madrid, and two Liga winner’s medals. He took leadership of Madrid’s attack after five-time Ballon d’Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo left the club in 2018.
Without Benzema, France reached the final of Euro 2016, where they laboured to a defeat in extra-time in Paris, against a Portugal deprived of the injured Ronaldo for most of the contest. That night, Les Bleus could have used the guile, finishing and competitive zeal that Benzema brought to their thrilling Nations League semi-final against Belgium last Thursday and to the 2-1 win in the final against Spain.
Without Benzema, France did triumph at the 2018 World Cup, their game plan sharpened thanks to the emergence of Kylian Mbappe. Benzema watched France’s progress wistfully from afar.
Just over six months ago, Deschamps made the decision to reach out, mend fences, concerned that Les Bleus had become predictable going into Euro 2020. There was a coolness to the initial conversations, but a clear, shared desire that Benzema should bring the same leadership to France as he does to Madrid.
The coach saw it thoroughly displayed over the last week. After France had staged a second successive comeback, from 1-0 down against Spain, as they had from 2-0 down to beat Belgium 3-2, Deschamps was beaming about Benzema.
“Karim is a special footballer,” said France’s manager, “and his quality is obvious. His role for us is along the same lines as for Madrid, he’s matured and developed and I’m very happy he is with us. The [Nations League] is an important title for him.
“In the future the talent and the competitive spirit he can bring us will be indispensable.”
The spirit was evident in Benzema’s goal against Belgium, just after the hour. France were trailing by two goals and Benzema launched the recovery. Likewise against Spain, who went 1-0 ahead through Mikel Oyarzabal with less than half an hour of the final left. Within two minutes, Benzema had curled a sumptuous shot into the top corner.
Spain 1 France 2: player ratings
Momentum had swung, confidence restored by the timing and excellence of the strike. Mbappe struck the winning goal 14 minutes later, fortunate to be judged on side as he stole behind the Spanish defence.
Benzema now has six goals in his last seven matches for France, all scored in tournaments. He was France’s leading marksman when they exited Euro 2020 on penalties in the last-16 stage, Mbappe seeing the decisive spot-kick saved. Against Belgium last week, Benzema made a point of giving the ball to Mbappe to take the penalty from which France equalised. “I wanted Kylian to score,” he explained.
The complicity on the pitch between Mbappe, 22, and Benzema, 33, is becoming one of France’s fortes, with shades of the understanding Benzema built up with Ronaldo over nine years as Madrid team-mates. They have a strong relationship on the training ground and in their down time.
That is good news for Madrid, who made a €180 million ($208m) bid to sign Mbappe from Paris Saint-Germain in August. PSG turned it down, but Mbappe, who is out of contract in June, has long been interested in the move.
Benzema would welcome Mbappe to the capital of Spain. That is a persuasive factor. The former France outcast, now the Bleus main man, may soon be having a major impact on French league football, helping to coax Mbappe, the country’s greatest young talent, away from Ligue 1.
Deschamps could hardly complain if it happens. The more his best strikers play together, the better for France.
The%20Killer
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The%20specs
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The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
MATCH INFO
Everton 2 (Tosun 9', Doucoure 93')
Rotherham United 1 (Olosunde 56')
Man of the Match Olosunde (Rotherham)
Fixtures
Tuesday - 5.15pm: Team Lebanon v Alger Corsaires; 8.30pm: Abu Dhabi Storms v Pharaohs
Wednesday - 5.15pm: Pharaohs v Carthage Eagles; 8.30pm: Alger Corsaires v Abu Dhabi Storms
Thursday - 4.30pm: Team Lebanon v Pharaohs; 7.30pm: Abu Dhabi Storms v Carthage Eagles
Friday - 4.30pm: Pharaohs v Alger Corsaires; 7.30pm: Carthage Eagles v Team Lebanon
Saturday - 4.30pm: Carthage Eagles v Alger Corsaires; 7.30pm: Abu Dhabi Storms v Team Lebanon
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Company%20profile%20
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EYodawy%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Egypt%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EKarim%20Khashaba%2C%20Sherief%20El-Feky%20and%20Yasser%20AbdelGawad%3Cstrong%3E%3Cbr%3ESector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EHealthTech%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETotal%20funding%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2424.5%20million%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EAlgebra%20Ventures%2C%20Global%20Ventures%2C%20MEVP%20and%20Delivery%20Hero%20Ventures%2C%20among%20others%3Cstrong%3E%3Cbr%3ENumber%20of%20employees%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20500%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
Famous left-handers
- Marie Curie
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- Albert Einstein
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Five personal finance podcasts from The National
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Should you buy or rent a home in the UAE?
US households add $601bn of debt in 2019
American households borrowed another $601 billion (Dh2.2bn) in 2019, the largest yearly gain since 2007, just before the global financial crisis, according to February data from the New York Federal Reserve Bank.
Fuelled by rising mortgage debt as homebuyers continued to take advantage of low interest rates, the increase last year brought total household debt to a record high, surpassing the previous peak reached in 2008 just before the market crash, according to the report.
Following the 22nd straight quarter of growth, American household debt swelled to $14.15 trillion by the end of 2019, the New York Fed said in its quarterly report.
In the final three months of the year, new home loans jumped to their highest volume since the fourth quarter of 2005, while credit cards and auto loans also added to the increase.
The bad debt load is taking its toll on some households, and the New York Fed warned that more and more credit card borrowers — particularly young people — were falling behind on their payments.
"Younger borrowers, who are disproportionately likely to have credit cards and student loans as their primary form of debt, struggle more than others with on-time repayment," New York Fed researchers said.
AIDA%20RETURNS
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Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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TO A LAND UNKNOWN
Director: Mahdi Fleifel
Starring: Mahmoud Bakri, Aram Sabbah, Mohammad Alsurafa
Rating: 4.5/5
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
Sreesanth's India bowling career
Tests 27, Wickets 87, Average 37.59, Best 5-40
ODIs 53, Wickets 75, Average 33.44, Best 6-55
T20Is 10, Wickets 7, Average 41.14, Best 2-12
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Schedule
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Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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United States
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2.
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China
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UAE
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Japan
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5
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Norway
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Canada
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Singapore
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Australia
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Saudi Arabia
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South Korea
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Sun jukebox
Rufus Thomas, Bear Cat (The Answer to Hound Dog) (1953)
This rip-off of Leiber/Stoller’s early rock stomper brought a lawsuit against Phillips and necessitated Presley’s premature sale to RCA.
Elvis Presley, Mystery Train (1955)
The B-side of Presley’s final single for Sun bops with a drummer-less groove.
Johnny Cash and the Tennessee Two, Folsom Prison Blues (1955)
Originally recorded for Sun, Cash’s signature tune was performed for inmates of the titular prison 13 years later.
Carl Perkins, Blue Suede Shoes (1956)
Within a month of Sun’s February release Elvis had his version out on RCA.
Roy Orbison, Ooby Dooby (1956)
An essential piece of irreverent juvenilia from Orbison.
Jerry Lee Lewis, Great Balls of Fire (1957)
Lee’s trademark anthem is one of the era’s best-remembered – and best-selling – songs.
The Limehouse Golem
Director: Juan Carlos Medina
Cast: Olivia Cooke, Bill Nighy, Douglas Booth
Three stars
Schedule for show courts
Centre Court - from 4pm UAE time
Johanna Konta (6) v Donna Vekic
Andy Murray (1) v Dustin Brown
Rafael Nadal (4) v Donald Young
Court 1 - from 4pm UAE time
Kei Nishikori (9) v Sergiy Stakhovsky
Qiang Wang v Venus Williams (10)
Beatriz Haddad Maia v Simona Halep (2)
Court 2 - from 2.30pm
Heather Watson v Anastasija Sevastova (18)
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (12) v Simone Bolelli
Florian Mayer v Marin Cilic (7)
GYAN’S ASIAN OUTPUT
2011-2015: Al Ain – 123 apps, 128 goals
2015-2017: Shanghai SIPG – 20 apps, 7 goals
2016-2017: Al Ahli (loan) – 25 apps, 11 goals
