DUBAI // Thousands of Cristiano Ronaldo fans who flooded JBR on Monday were left waiting for hours after the visiting Real Madrid players arrived late to the opening of the Real Madrid Cafe on The Walk near Dubai Marina.
Disappointed fans took to social media to vent their frustration that their heroes arrived unfashionably late and did not acknowledge them once they did.
“Some people were waiting there with kids for hours while others paid to be there and they all barely got acknowledged by the fans,” said Babak Golriz, 32, who is visiting from Oman. “These players are role models, idols to these children and this sets a bad example when they are treated this way.”
Mr Golriz added that although the incident was disappointing, he was not surprised.
“Unfortunately, these teams do not respect their fans in the Middle and Far East and because they make a lot of money here they are seen as cash to them,” he said.
Of those who posted online some agreed, saying the least the players could do is act interested, while others said seeing the players in person was worth the wait.
Official video of the Cafe’s inauguration posted on Real Madrid’s YouTube channel showed the players rushing into the new establishment past thousands of screaming fans, with one of the players saying he did not know the fans were such fanatics.
Neither Real Madrid nor representatives from Real Madrid Cafe responded to requests for comment.
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Company%20profile
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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
Water waste
In the UAE’s arid climate, small shrubs, bushes and flower beds usually require about six litres of water per square metre, daily. That increases to 12 litres per square metre a day for small trees, and 300 litres for palm trees.
Horticulturists suggest the best time for watering is before 8am or after 6pm, when water won't be dried up by the sun.
A global report published by the Water Resources Institute in August, ranked the UAE 10th out of 164 nations where water supplies are most stretched.
The Emirates is the world’s third largest per capita water consumer after the US and Canada.
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MATCH INFO
Fulham 0
Aston Villa 3 (Grealish 4', Hourihane 15', Mings 48')
Man of the match: Jack Grealish (Aston Villa)
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
The rules on fostering in the UAE
A foster couple or family must:
- be Muslim, Emirati and be residing in the UAE
- not be younger than 25 years old
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- undertake to treat and raise the child in a proper manner and take care of his or her health and well-being
- A single, divorced or widowed Muslim Emirati female, residing in the UAE may apply to foster a child if she is at least 30 years old and able to support the child financially
Test
Director: S Sashikanth
Cast: Nayanthara, Siddharth, Meera Jasmine, R Madhavan
Star rating: 2/5
The specs
Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel
Power: 579hp
Torque: 859Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh825,900
On sale: Now