The inaugural edition of the Derby of the Americas comes to Doha on Wednesday evening. It’s a grand name for a stepping stone fixture whose chief reward for the winners is, effectively, a semi-final in the Intercontinental Cup against Cairo’s Al Ahly and, there, the right to meet Real Madrid in the final of Fifa’s rebrand of the old-style Club World Cup.
Some minds, among players and staff of Brazil’s Botafogo and Mexico’s Pachuca, respective champions of their continents, may already be focusing on the bigger Fifa event next summer, the expanded 32-team Club World Cup in the United States. Some individual minds may be straying beyond the Americas altogether.
It is in the nature of football’s global economy that a talented footballer playing in South or Central America is encouraged to think of success there as a stepping stone to a contract in an elite league somewhere across the Atlantic.
There are coveted stars in both teams, above all Pachuca’s Oussama Idrissi and Botafogo’s Igor Jesus, attacking footballers with unusually globetrotting pasts and with an intrepid streak.
Last year, when Idrissi, a skilful winger with an eye for goal and magic in his quick, nimble feet, joined Pachuca from Spain’s Sevilla, he broke a mould. Idrissi is a Morocco international, and for that, he was quite the novelty in the upper echelons of Mexico’s vibrant league.
By the following April, he was adored by Pachuca’s supporters, not least for his impact in the CONCACAF Champions League, where Columbus Crew, of the US, were defeated 3-0 in the final. Idrissi, drawing two defenders towards him with one of his trademark runs, cutting in from the left, slipped the ball to Salomon Rondon for the third goal. It was his sixth assist in seven games in the competition.
Nobody had done more to stamp Pachuca’s ticket to the big global showpieces that the InterContinental Cup and the 2025 Club World Cup represent.
Idrissi is 28 and was born in the Netherlands, where he played his club football until 2020, when he joined Sevilla from AZ of Alkmaar, later returning to Dutch football for spells with Ajax and Feyenoord when his career in Spain failed to take off.
His zigzag of loans – to the two Dutch giants and, in between, to Cadiz – were badly timed in that they preceded the 2022 World Cup. Morocco did not pick him in their final squad, so he missed out on the historic march of the Atlas Lions to the semi-final of the Qatar tournament. He’d be forgiven for reflecting, on this trip to Doha, that he’s in a place he ought to have got to know intimately two winters ago.
He won the last of his nine international caps 18 months ago. While Morocco head coach Walid Regragui has monitored Idrissi’s excellent impact in Mexico, where his stylish dribbling and vision is so appreciated and his match-winning statistics so impressive, the current Morocco squad have a fleet of other talented wingers, most of them playing closer to home in various leading European leagues.
Idrissi may be regularly dazzling along the left touchline in front of huge audiences in big stadiums, but he is doing so in a faraway time zone.
At least he has been for the last 18 months. That may change. There is interest in signing Idrissi from clubs in several major European leagues during next month’s transfer window. Club America, Mexico’s most decorated club, have meanwhile made no secret of their enthusiasm for poaching him from a local rival.
Pachuca have him on contract until next summer, so he’s a saleable asset now but will not be then and after a disappointing last domestic campaign, the July to December Apertura, a period of squad upheaval is anticipated.
“Unfortunately we had a difficult season,” Idrissi acknowledged to Fox Sports, “but we’ve analysed that and had a positive mini-preseason to get ready for this next challenge. We’re proud to be here in Doha and it’s a very special tournament, where any player wants to take the opportunity to show their quality.”
Up against Botafogo, who celebrated winning Brazil’s Serie A title at the weekend, and won their first Copa Libertadores – South America’s version of Champions League eight days earlier – Idrissi knows his club are deemed the underdogs. “Obviously the form you’re in coming into the game is important and we know that any South American opponent has a lot of quality and talent. But we’re ready to compete.”
Among Botafogo’s standout talents would be Igor Jesus, a player who has taken as roundabout and unlikely a route to a bid for club football’s top prize as Idrissi did. Barely five months ago, the 23-year-old was employed in the UAE, having completed the best of his four seasons up front for Shabab Al Ahli.
The Dubai club had scouted him as a teenager with a just handful of top division appearances in his native Brazil and, though his success in the UAE Pro League might easily have taken off the Brazilian radar, Botafogo kept tabs on him.
He signed for them in the summer. “I had quite a few offers,” he recalled, after sealing his domestic and continental Double on Sunday. “Botafogo convinced me and I saw here a good, united group of happy players there and they’ve given me a lot of confidence. But I didn’t imagine all this happening so quickly.”
By “all this” he means his Gulf form – 43 goals and 20 assists in his 88 games for Shabab Al Ahli – translating so quickly into the highest level of South American football.
Jesus contributed three goals and two assists in his five appearances in the Copa Libertadores knockout phase and his hard running and pressing in a side reduced to 10 men from the first minute of the final against Atletico Mineiro helped push Botago to a 3-1 win.
In October he was fast-tracked into Brazil’s national team, scoring on his debut. He’s been Brazil’s starting centre-forward in every match since.
However he performs this evening, and perhaps through two further InterContinental Cup games, he should anticipate a busy January of enquiries. Clubs in England’s Premier League, in La Liga and in Italy have taken note of the rise of Igor Jesus in the short months between his leaving Dubai and mounting the global stage in Doha.
UAE SQUAD
UAE team
1. Chris Jones-Griffiths 2. Gio Fourie 3. Craig Nutt 4. Daniel Perry 5. Isaac Porter 6. Matt Mills 7. Hamish Anderson 8. Jaen Botes 9. Barry Dwyer 10. Luke Stevenson (captain) 11. Sean Carey 12. Andrew Powell 13. Saki Naisau 14. Thinus Steyn 15. Matt Richards
Replacements
16. Lukas Waddington 17. Murray Reason 18. Ahmed Moosa 19. Stephen Ferguson 20. Sean Stevens 21. Ed Armitage 22. Kini Natuna 23. Majid Al Balooshi
House-hunting
Top 10 locations for inquiries from US house hunters, according to Rightmove
- Edinburgh, Scotland
- Westminster, London
- Camden, London
- Glasgow, Scotland
- Islington, London
- Kensington and Chelsea, London
- Highlands, Scotland
- Argyll and Bute, Scotland
- Fife, Scotland
- Tower Hamlets, London
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE v Gibraltar
What: International friendly
When: 7pm kick off
Where: Rugby Park, Dubai Sports City
Admission: Free
Online: The match will be broadcast live on Dubai Exiles’ Facebook page
UAE squad: Lucas Waddington (Dubai Exiles), Gio Fourie (Exiles), Craig Nutt (Abu Dhabi Harlequins), Phil Brady (Harlequins), Daniel Perry (Dubai Hurricanes), Esekaia Dranibota (Harlequins), Matt Mills (Exiles), Jaen Botes (Exiles), Kristian Stinson (Exiles), Murray Reason (Abu Dhabi Saracens), Dave Knight (Hurricanes), Ross Samson (Jebel Ali Dragons), DuRandt Gerber (Exiles), Saki Naisau (Dragons), Andrew Powell (Hurricanes), Emosi Vacanau (Harlequins), Niko Volavola (Dragons), Matt Richards (Dragons), Luke Stevenson (Harlequins), Josh Ives (Dubai Sports City Eagles), Sean Stevens (Saracens), Thinus Steyn (Exiles)
ESSENTIALS
The flights
Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh via Yangon from Dh2,700 return including taxes. Cambodia Bayon Airlines and Cambodia Angkor Air offer return flights from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap from Dh250 return including taxes. The flight takes about 45 minutes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Raffles Le Royal in Phnom Penh cost from $225 (Dh826) per night including taxes. Rooms at the Grand Hotel d'Angkor cost from $261 (Dh960) per night including taxes.
The tours
A cyclo architecture tour of Phnom Penh costs from $20 (Dh75) per person for about three hours, with Khmer Architecture Tours. Tailor-made tours of all of Cambodia, or sites like Angkor alone, can be arranged by About Asia Travel. Emirates Holidays also offers packages.
How do Sim card scams work?
Sim swap frauds are a form of identity theft.
They involve criminals conning mobile phone operators into issuing them with replacement Sim cards by claiming to be the victim, often pretending their phone has been lost or stolen in order to secure a new Sim.
They use the victim's personal details - obtained through criminal methods - to convince such companies of their identity.
The criminal can then access any online service that requires security codes to be sent to a user's mobile phone, such as banking services.
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
Brief scores:
Barcelona 3
Pique 38', Messi 51 (pen), Suarez 82'
Rayo Vallecano 1
De Tomas Gomez 24'
The more serious side of specialty coffee
While the taste of beans and freshness of roast is paramount to the specialty coffee scene, so is sustainability and workers’ rights.
The bulk of genuine specialty coffee companies aim to improve on these elements in every stage of production via direct relationships with farmers. For instance, Mokha 1450 on Al Wasl Road strives to work predominantly with women-owned and -operated coffee organisations, including female farmers in the Sabree mountains of Yemen.
Because, as the boutique’s owner, Garfield Kerr, points out: “women represent over 90 per cent of the coffee value chain, but are woefully underrepresented in less than 10 per cent of ownership and management throughout the global coffee industry.”
One of the UAE’s largest suppliers of green (meaning not-yet-roasted) beans, Raw Coffee, is a founding member of the Partnership of Gender Equity, which aims to empower female coffee farmers and harvesters.
Also, globally, many companies have found the perfect way to recycle old coffee grounds: they create the perfect fertile soil in which to grow mushrooms.
School counsellors on mental well-being
Schools counsellors in Abu Dhabi have put a number of provisions in place to help support pupils returning to the classroom next week.
Many children will resume in-person lessons for the first time in 10 months and parents previously raised concerns about the long-term effects of distance learning.
Schools leaders and counsellors said extra support will be offered to anyone that needs it. Additionally, heads of years will be on hand to offer advice or coping mechanisms to ease any concerns.
“Anxiety this time round has really spiralled, more so than from the first lockdown at the beginning of the pandemic,” said Priya Mitchell, counsellor at The British School Al Khubairat in Abu Dhabi.
“Some have got used to being at home don’t want to go back, while others are desperate to get back.
“We have seen an increase in depressive symptoms, especially with older pupils, and self-harm is starting younger.
“It is worrying and has taught us how important it is that we prioritise mental well-being.”
Ms Mitchell said she was liaising more with heads of year so they can support and offer advice to pupils if the demand is there.
The school will also carry out mental well-being checks so they can pick up on any behavioural patterns and put interventions in place to help pupils.
At Raha International School, the well-being team has provided parents with assessment surveys to see how they can support students at home to transition back to school.
“They have created a Well-being Resource Bank that parents have access to on information on various domains of mental health for students and families,” a team member said.
“Our pastoral team have been working with students to help ease the transition and reduce anxiety that [pupils] may experience after some have been nearly a year off campus.
"Special secondary tutorial classes have also focused on preparing students for their return; going over new guidelines, expectations and daily schedules.”
A State of Passion
Directors: Carol Mansour and Muna Khalidi
Stars: Dr Ghassan Abu-Sittah
Rating: 4/5
It Was Just an Accident
Director: Jafar Panahi
Stars: Vahid Mobasseri, Mariam Afshari, Ebrahim Azizi, Hadis Pakbaten, Majid Panahi, Mohamad Ali Elyasmehr
Rating: 4/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Mobile phone packages comparison
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre flat-six twin-turbocharged
Transmission: eight-speed PDK automatic
Power: 445bhp
Torque: 530Nm
Price: Dh474,600
On Sale: Now
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20APPLE%20M3%20MACBOOK%20AIR%20(13%22)
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Dubai Bling season three
Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed
Rating: 1/5
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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United States
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China
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UAE
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Japan
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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
Brief scoreline:
Manchester United 2
Rashford 28', Martial 72'
Watford 1
Doucoure 90'
Game Changer
Director: Shankar
Stars: Ram Charan, Kiara Advani, Anjali, S J Suryah, Jayaram
Rating: 2/5
Company%20profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Fasset%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2019%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Mohammad%20Raafi%20Hossain%2C%20Daniel%20Ahmed%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dubai%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFinTech%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInitial%20investment%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%242.45%20million%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ECurrent%20number%20of%20staff%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2086%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Pre-series%20B%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Investcorp%2C%20Liberty%20City%20Ventures%2C%20Fatima%20Gobi%20Ventures%2C%20Primal%20Capital%2C%20Wealthwell%20Ventures%2C%20FHS%20Capital%2C%20VN2%20Capital%2C%20local%20family%20offices%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
