Didier Deschamps: an apology. There was a theory that only one man could stop France from winning the World Cup and that individual was not Neymar or Lionel Messi, but Deschamps. Instead, he has now emulated Franz Beckenbauer, the only other to win the World Cup as both captain and manager.
It is a remarkable feat, but, until the flurry of goals rendered it one of the most entertaining World Cup finals, this felt a very Deschamps kind of win, incorporating an own goal from a free kick that probably should not have been awarded and a disputed penalty and included a first half when France had one shot and scored twice. Perhaps it represented a victory for pragmatism over romanticism.
The dream that a country of barely four million people could win the World Cup died. Deschamps, a former defensive midfielder whose first substitution was to bring on a defensive midfielder, was its unsentimental assassin.
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France win the World Cup with 4-2 victory over Croatia
France and Croatia fans at the World Cup final - in pictures
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Croatia may have been the best team for much of the first hour, but France lifted the trophy. They did so emphatically, but also deservedly. They became the first side since the great Brazilians of 1970 to score four goals in the World Cup final. The idea that Deschamps is one of management’s roundheads was rebutted by his charges.
They have been the tournament’s strongest team, the best balanced, with excellence in each half of the pitch, courtesy of Antoine Griezmann, Paul Pogba and Kylian Mbappe, plus N’Golo Kante, Samuel Umtiti and Raphael Varane.
Even the names reflect Deschamps’ good fortune and yet talent still needs harnessing and organising, configuring and motivating. France froze in the final of Euro 2016. Two years later, they performed.
Gifted players ended up expressing themselves. Mbappe became the first teenager since Pele to score in a World Cup final when drilling in their fourth. Pogba delivered the third to show how he has allied defensive discipline with attacking threat.
Above all, though, there was Griezmann. He was Euro 2016’s top scorer. Mbappe’s emergence has demoted him to the supporting cast. Perhaps that enabled him to ghost around, a master of elusive excellence.
Griezmann teed Pogba up for his goal. He ends the tournament with four goals and three assists. A man who missed a penalty in a Champions League final scored one in a World Cup final, albeit after the intervention of VAR.
France’s opener was the third goal in as many games that has stemmed from Griezmann’s dead-ball expertise. In the quarter- and semi-finals his set-pieces were headed in by Varane and Umtiti. This time, the unwitting Mario Mandzukic applied the final touch for a goal he later cancelled out with one at the right end.
It was a sign of the spirit that has propelled Croatia thus far. Trailing and forever mounting comebacks is not a failsafe formula, but a team who ought to have been tired have instead proved terrific.
Yet France’s status as rightful winners is underlined by their route to glory: Argentina, Uruguay, Belgium, Croatia. They have beaten the attacking and the defensive, the individuals and the true teams.
And teamwork has long been a priority for Deschamps. From Karim Benzema to Adrien Rabiot, gifted players have been omitted in his reign. It is easier to make such decisions when the alternatives are so enticing but the collective has been prioritised. His decision-making – restoring Olivier Giroud to the starting 11 as the non-scoring striker, removing the booked Kante – has been justified.
Just as he did in 1998, Deschamps has drawn players together. He was never the most showy of players and he has similar traits as a manager. Perhaps it means he is underestimated. But he is a select group of two now: the only men who have led teams to the World Cup as both player and manager.
Ireland (15-1):
Ireland (15-1): Rob Kearney; Keith Earls, Chris Farrell, Bundee Aki, Jacob Stockdale; Jonathan Sexton, Conor Murray; Jack Conan, Sean O'Brien, Peter O'Mahony; James Ryan, Quinn Roux; Tadhg Furlong, Rory Best (capt), Cian Healy
Replacements: Sean Cronin, Dave Kilcoyne, Andrew Porter, Ultan Dillane, Josh van der Flier, John Cooney, Joey Carbery, Jordan Larmour
Coach: Joe Schmidt (NZL)
A State of Passion
Directors: Carol Mansour and Muna Khalidi
Stars: Dr Ghassan Abu-Sittah
Rating: 4/5
Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now
Challenge Cup result:
1. UAE 3 faults
2. Ireland 9 faults
3. Brazil 11 faults
4. Spain 15 faults
5. Great Britain 17 faults
6. New Zealand 20 faults
7. Italy 26 faults
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
Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
Is it worth it? We put cheesecake frap to the test.
The verdict from the nutritionists is damning. But does a cheesecake frappuccino taste good enough to merit the indulgence?
My advice is to only go there if you have unusually sweet tooth. I like my puddings, but this was a bit much even for me. The first hit is a winner, but it's downhill, slowly, from there. Each sip is a little less satisfying than the last, and maybe it was just all that sugar, but it isn't long before the rush is replaced by a creeping remorse. And half of the thing is still left.
The caramel version is far superior to the blueberry, too. If someone put a full caramel cheesecake through a liquidiser and scooped out the contents, it would probably taste something like this. Blueberry, on the other hand, has more of an artificial taste. It's like someone has tried to invent this drink in a lab, and while early results were promising, they're still in the testing phase. It isn't terrible, but something isn't quite right either.
So if you want an experience, go for a small, and opt for the caramel. But if you want a cheesecake, it's probably more satisfying, and not quite as unhealthy, to just order the real thing.
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
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
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