Goalkeeper Yassine Bounou, one of the heroes of Morocco's historic World Cup run in Qatar, has completed a move to Al Hilal from Sevilla, days after Neymar joined the Saudi Pro League giants.
The 32-year-old stopper, more commonly known as 'Bono', has cost Hilal a reported €21 million and has signed a three-year contract.
"The board of directors of Al-Hilal Club Company has signed 'Yassine Bono', goalkeeper of Morocco national team and Spain's Sevilla," Al Hilal posted on social media. "Bono's contract lasts for three seasons, until 2026. The signing ceremony was taking place at Four Seasons George V hotel in Paris, France.
"The board of directors has offered sincere gratitude and appreciation to the golden member HRH Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal for funding this deal."
Bounou's arrival continues a stunning summer transfer window for Hilal, whose transfer business would be the envy of many top European clubs. Earlier this week, the Riyadh club shattered their own Saudi Pro League (SPL) transfer record to sign Brazilian superstar Neymar for a reported €90m.
Hilal had earlier twice broken the SPL transfer record, first with the signing of Portuguese midfielder Ruben Neves from Wolves and again when they recruited Brazilian winger Malcom from Zenit St Petersburg. They have also signed Serbian midfielder Sergej Milinkovic-Savic from Lazio and Senegalese defender Kalidou Koulibaly from Chelsea.
Bounou moves to Hilal after a successful spell with Sevilla, where he made 142 appearances, kept 58 clean sheets and even scored a goal. He twice won the Uefa Europa League, including last season when he made two penalty shoot-out saves in the final against Roma.
Bounou was also named as the third-best goalkeeper in the world at The Best Fifa Football Awards, recognition in no small part due to his superb performances for Morocco at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, where he played a key role in the Atlas Lions becoming the first African team to reach a World Cup semi-final.
Bounou started his career at Wydad Casablanca, where he came through the youth system, before joining Atletico Madrid in 2012. He was part of their La Liga title triumph in 2014 but did not make a league appearance.
After a two-year loan spell at Zaragoza between 2014 and 2016, he joined Girona on a permanent deal and spent four years at the club, the last of which was on loan at Sevilla.
Bounou joined Sevilla permanently ahead of the 2020/21 season and soon established himself as their first-choice goalkeeper. He became the first player in the club's history to win the Zamora Trophy, which is awarded to the goalkeeper who concedes the fewest goals per match in La Liga, with a minimum of 28 appearances.
"Sevilla FC thanks Bono for his hard work and effort during his four-year spell, and wishes him the very best of luck in the future," Sevilla wrote in a statement.
Hilal, the most decorated club in Asian football with 66 major trophies, are next in Saudi Pro League action on Saturday when they play their first home game of the season against Al Feiha. Bono is expected to be presented to the crowd at the King Fahd International Stadium, as is Neymar.
Hilal won their opening game of the season 3-1 at Abha, with new signing Malcom scoring a hat-trick.
Bounou stars as Sevilla win Europa League - in pictures
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The%20specs
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Key recommendations
- Fewer criminals put behind bars and more to serve sentences in the community, with short sentences scrapped and many inmates released earlier.
- Greater use of curfews and exclusion zones to deliver tougher supervision than ever on criminals.
- Explore wider powers for judges to punish offenders by blocking them from attending football matches, banning them from driving or travelling abroad through an expansion of ‘ancillary orders’.
- More Intensive Supervision Courts to tackle the root causes of crime such as alcohol and drug abuse – forcing repeat offenders to take part in tough treatment programmes or face prison.
Conflict, drought, famine
Estimates of the number of deaths caused by the famine range from 400,000 to 1 million, according to a document prepared for the UK House of Lords in 2024.
It has been claimed that the policies of the Ethiopian government, which took control after deposing Emperor Haile Selassie in a military-led revolution in 1974, contributed to the scale of the famine.
Dr Miriam Bradley, senior lecturer in humanitarian studies at the University of Manchester, has argued that, by the early 1980s, “several government policies combined to cause, rather than prevent, a famine which lasted from 1983 to 1985. Mengistu’s government imposed Stalinist-model agricultural policies involving forced collectivisation and villagisation [relocation of communities into planned villages].
The West became aware of the catastrophe through a series of BBC News reports by journalist Michael Buerk in October 1984 describing a “biblical famine” and containing graphic images of thousands of people, including children, facing starvation.
Band Aid
Bob Geldof, singer with the Irish rock group The Boomtown Rats, formed Band Aid in response to the horrific images shown in the news broadcasts.
With Midge Ure of the band Ultravox, he wrote the hit charity single Do They Know it’s Christmas in December 1984, featuring a string of high-profile musicians.
Following the single’s success, the idea to stage a rock concert evolved.
Live Aid was a series of simultaneous concerts that took place at Wembley Stadium in London, John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, the US, and at various other venues across the world.
The combined event was broadcast to an estimated worldwide audience of 1.5 billion.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
HAJJAN
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Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
David Haye record
Total fights: 32
Wins: 28
Wins by KO: 26
Losses: 4
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ULTRA PROCESSED FOODS
- Carbonated drinks, sweet or savoury packaged snacks, confectionery, mass-produced packaged breads and buns
- margarines and spreads; cookies, biscuits, pastries, cakes, and cake mixes, breakfast cereals, cereal and energy bars;
- energy drinks, milk drinks, fruit yoghurts and fruit drinks, cocoa drinks, meat and chicken extracts and instant sauces
- infant formulas and follow-on milks, health and slimming products such as powdered or fortified meal and dish substitutes,
- many ready-to-heat products including pre-prepared pies and pasta and pizza dishes, poultry and fish nuggets and sticks, sausages, burgers, hot dogs, and other reconstituted meat products, powdered and packaged instant soups, noodles and desserts.
Tips to stay safe during hot weather
- Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of fluids, especially water. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which can increase dehydration.
- Seek cool environments: Use air conditioning, fans, or visit community spaces with climate control.
- Limit outdoor activities: Avoid strenuous activity during peak heat. If outside, seek shade and wear a wide-brimmed hat.
- Dress appropriately: Wear lightweight, loose and light-coloured clothing to facilitate heat loss.
- Check on vulnerable people: Regularly check in on elderly neighbours, young children and those with health conditions.
- Home adaptations: Use blinds or curtains to block sunlight, avoid using ovens or stoves, and ventilate living spaces during cooler hours.
- Recognise heat illness: Learn the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke (dizziness, confusion, rapid pulse, nausea), and seek medical attention if symptoms occur.
THE CLOWN OF GAZA
Director: Abdulrahman Sabbah
Starring: Alaa Meqdad
Rating: 4/5
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
The specs: 2018 Chevrolet Trailblazer
Price, base / as tested Dh99,000 / Dh132,000
Engine 3.6L V6
Transmission: Six-speed automatic
Power 275hp @ 6,000rpm
Torque 350Nm @ 3,700rpm
Fuel economy combined 12.2L / 100km
MATCH INFO
Manchester United 1 (Greenwood 77')
Everton 1 (Lindelof 36' og)
The specs: 2018 Bentley Bentayga V8
Price, base: Dh853,226
Engine: 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 550hp @ 6,000pm
Torque: 770Nm @ 1,960rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 11.4L / 100km
Results
4.30pm Jebel Jais – Maiden (PA) Dh60,000 (Turf) 1,000m; Winner: MM Al Balqaa, Bernardo Pinheiro (jockey), Qaiss Aboud (trainer)
5pm: Jabel Faya – Maiden (PA) Dh60,000 (T) 1,000m; Winner: AF Rasam, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
5.30pm: Al Wathba Stallions Cup – Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 (T) 2,200m; Winner: AF Mukhrej, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
6pm: The President’s Cup Prep – Conditions (PA) Dh100,000 (T) 2,200m; Winner: Mujeeb, Richard Mullen, Salem Al Ketbi
6.30pm: Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club – Prestige (PA) Dh125,000 (T) 1,600m; Winner: Jawal Al Reef, Antonio Fresu, Abubakar Daud
7pm: Al Ruwais – Group 3 (PA) Dh300,000 (T) 1,200m; Winner: Ashton Tourettes, Pat Dobbs, Ibrahim Aseel
7.30pm: Jebel Hafeet – Maiden (TB) Dh80,000 (T) 1,400m; Winner: Nibraas, Richard Mullen, Nicholas Bachalard
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