The du Football Champions’ 2016/17 season came to a close this weekend with its grand final at Dubai Mall. Carles Puyol, the former Barcelona captain and guest of honour on Saturday, spoke to John McAuley about the initiative.
The concept explained
The du Football Champions (duFC) is an international scouting platform in the Middle East, created last year and run in partnership with LaLiga, the governing body for Spain’s Primera Liga. Open to children aged 11-18, its aim is to develop UAE-based footballers to become professionals. It uses certified La Liga coaches and includes input from Michel Salgado, the former Spain and Real Madrid defender. The du LaLiga High Performance Centre is based at The Sevens in Dubai.
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Read more
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■ Wenger on future: 'I know what I will do, you will know very soon'
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The next step
In all, 116 players have been selected from across the UAE. That will be whittled down next Saturday to 52, with a selection of the boys U16s and U18s chosen for a 21-day training camp in Spain from July 30. During the camp, they will play friendlies against Primera Liga clubs, with each to be attended by scouts from the Spanish top flight. Last year, Ahmed El Yamani, a 15-year-old Lebanese midfielder living in Dubai, was picked up by Malaga after excelling at the camp.
On the du FC project
“What a great opportunity this is for these kids, because I never had that opportunity myself,” said Puyol, winner of the 2008 European Championship and 2010 Fifa World Cup with Spain. “It’s an amazing thing for them to have. These kids will have the chance at a later stage to go even further, to grow and perhaps to play in the biggest leagues. This is such an opportunity. I’ve seen nice talent so far – players here who have real quality.”
On players potentially playing in Europe
“Why not?” Puyol said. “I hope they can. It’s very, very tough, because every kid in the world wants to play for Barcelona, for Real Madrid, for Manchester United. But at least they have the chance with this project and if they really train and are consistent in what they do, they definitely have a chance to make it to a top club.”
On his advice to those potential stars
“Take advantage,” Puyol said. “Take advantage of this because it’s really a huge opportunity for them, opening the door to potentially a professional career, to be able to get there. So, I’d say for them not to take it for granted. It’s something really exceptional put in place for them to hopefully be able to make it.”
jmcauley@thenational.ae
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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.
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Key facilities
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Specs
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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
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Tips from the expert
Dobromir Radichkov, chief data officer at dubizzle and Bayut, offers a few tips for UAE residents looking to earn some cash from pre-loved items.
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World record transfers
1. Kylian Mbappe - to Real Madrid in 2017/18 - €180 million (Dh770.4m - if a deal goes through)
2. Paul Pogba - to Manchester United in 2016/17 - €105m
3. Gareth Bale - to Real Madrid in 2013/14 - €101m
4. Cristiano Ronaldo - to Real Madrid in 2009/10 - €94m
5. Gonzalo Higuain - to Juventus in 2016/17 - €90m
6. Neymar - to Barcelona in 2013/14 - €88.2m
7. Romelu Lukaku - to Manchester United in 2017/18 - €84.7m
8. Luis Suarez - to Barcelona in 2014/15 - €81.72m
9. Angel di Maria - to Manchester United in 2014/15 - €75m
10. James Rodriguez - to Real Madrid in 2014/15 - €75m
Dr Afridi's warning signs of digital addiction
Spending an excessive amount of time on the phone.
Neglecting personal, social, or academic responsibilities.
Losing interest in other activities or hobbies that were once enjoyed.
Having withdrawal symptoms like feeling anxious, restless, or upset when the technology is not available.
Experiencing sleep disturbances or changes in sleep patterns.
What are the guidelines?
Under 18 months: Avoid screen time altogether, except for video chatting with family.
Aged 18-24 months: If screens are introduced, it should be high-quality content watched with a caregiver to help the child understand what they are seeing.
Aged 2-5 years: Limit to one-hour per day of high-quality programming, with co-viewing whenever possible.
Aged 6-12 years: Set consistent limits on screen time to ensure it does not interfere with sleep, physical activity, or social interactions.
Teenagers: Encourage a balanced approach – screens should not replace sleep, exercise, or face-to-face socialisation.
Source: American Paediatric Association
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Director: Sudha Kongara Prasad
Starring: Akshay Kumar, Radhika Madan, Paresh Rawal
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The Dictionary of Animal Languages
Heidi Sopinka
Scribe
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