At the European Championship last July, Arda Guler put himself in exclusive company. By setting up one of the goals against Austria that would put Turkey through to the quarter-finals on a wild evening in Leipzig, he became only the third teenager to score and assist in the history of the prestigious competition. The others on the list? Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney, fully 20 years earlier.
But their elite three-man club would be quickly gatecrashed. A week after Guler, 19 years and four months old at the time, had set his landmark for prodigious achievement, a new wunderkind struck a stunning goal in a winning semi-final to add to the three assists he had already decorated the tournament with. Lamine Yamal would turn 17 on the eve of the final, when, in between his school homework assignments, he became a European champion with Spain.
Yamal has picked up two more trophies, a Spanish Cup and Super Cup since and, although he finished on the wrong side of a dazzling Uefa Champions League semi-final on Tuesday for his club Barcelona, beaten 7-6 on aggregate by Internazionale, there is no real debate about who in world football owns the status of Most Exciting Prodigy. Yamal is still more than two months shy of being old enough to apply for a driver’s licence and has rewritten the rules on how old is old enough to be thriving among the sport’s elite grown-ups.
On Sunday, up on Montjuic, the stadium Barcelona are borrowing while their Camp Nou home is renovated, Yamal will play his 103rd senior club match, as the star attraction of the most famous fixture in football, Barca versus Real Madrid.
By coincidence, Madrid’s Guler goes into this Clasico also hopeful of notching up the 103rd club game of his career. Both have bolted upwards at speed to have reached their centuries of matches so young. But Lamine’s turbocharged rise makes Guler’s ascent look rather like a gentle, sluggish amble to the top.
Guler turned 20 in February and when you consider that he made his senior club debut – in the Europa League no less – for Fenerbahce’s first team as a 16-year-old, joining Real Madrid two summers later, the obvious frustration that he feels at his scant number of full matches so far for Madrid is understandable.
In almost two seasons at the Bernabeu he has started just 19 times. “At Madrid you need to spend time on the substitutes bench to earn yourself a place in the side,” counselled his club head coach Carlo Ancelotti, hinting that Guler has finally reached a significant threshold – and is under serious consideration to start against Barcelona, a clash with a potentially huge bearing on the Liga title race, given Barca’s four-point lead with four matchdays remaining.
Ancelotti’s words about the need for the young to be patient would certainly resonate with the likes of Endrick, the Brazilian teenager signed last July but in Ancelotti’s starting XI only twice in the club’s league and European campaigns so far. Less so, perhaps, with Jude Bellingham, who was recruited at 19, albeit with three impressive seasons already under his belt at Borussia Dortmund, and immediately responded to the challenge of being a mainstay in the starting XI.
Madrid are by nature more cautious with ‘kids’ than their great rivals. If Yamal’s exceptional brilliance has made his place in the Barca team uncontestable over the past 18 months, he is also at a club more inclined to take the brakes off a very young player’s ascent.
A comprehensive study published this week by the CIES Football Observatory, found that of all the clubs in the leading five leagues of Europe, Barcelona ranked second – behind only France’s Strasbourg – in how many minutes on the pitch they have given to footballers aged 21 or under this season. It’s an average of 38 minutes per game. Real Madrid’s ratio is barely a third of that.
The gifted Guler would be forgiven for wondering if his career might have been better served over the past two years at Barca, who were among the several clubs interested in him while he was at Fenerbahce.
In his time at Madrid, he has watched six Clasicos from the bench or the grandstands, and come on only in one, last month’s Copa del Rey final, where he was instrumental in turning a 1-0 deficit into a 2-1 Real lead before Barca triumphed 3-2 in extra-time. In the same period, Yamal has played in all six Clasicos, and in his four starts in the fixture contributed two goals and two assists.
Ancelotti more than anybody recognises the impact Yamal has had. He was instrumental in Barca putting four unanswered goals past Madrid in the Liga meeting at the Bernabeu in October, and he scored the first of Barca’s five goals in the 5-2 Spanish Super Cup final win in Jeddah, two significant events in pushing Ancelotti, who led Madrid to a Liga and European Cup double last season, to a probable exit from his job this summer.
But what Ancelotti may yet leave for his successor – Xabi Alonso, of Bayer Leverkusen is the favourite to take over – is the prospect of a similar prodigy for Madrid to, at last, make the most of. Similar not because Guler can yet boast the breathtaking possibilities of Yamal, but for the fact the two tyros have much in common: the fabulous left foot, the bold readiness to try the unexpected. There are the uncanny statistical parallels, too. Exactly the same number of senior club matches; 19 senior international caps apiece, too, and so far four goals each for their countries.
And finally, there’s a likelihood that Guler can face Yamal in a Clasico on equal terms, both in the starting XI. Ancelotti has put the Turk in the initial line-up for four of Madrid’s last six Liga outings, and Guler has responded by decisively shaping a series of narrow victories to keep Madrid’s defence of their title alive.
He scored the kind of glorious goal – a left-foot strike, angled across the keeper – that Yamal often attempts, against Celta Vigo last weekend and then set up another goal in the 3-2 win.
That drew praise from his coach. Ancelotti, so sparing in the opportunities he has granted Guler for most of the time they have coincided, is suddenly trusting the player, giving him new, responsible roles, notably as a midfield creator and lauding his maturity, his diligence, his resilience.
“What’s clear is that Guler is not the same player he was last September,” said Ancelotti. “He’s maintained his high quality but I see a different profile of player physically. He’s tougher.”
How to wear a kandura
Dos
- Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion
- Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
- Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work
- Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester
Don’ts
- Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal
- Buy a kandura only based on how it feels; ask questions about the fabric and understand what you are buying
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Our legal consultants
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
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End of free parking
- paid-for parking will be rolled across Abu Dhabi island on August 18
- drivers will have three working weeks leeway before fines are issued
- areas that are currently free to park - around Sheikh Zayed Bridge, Maqta Bridge, Mussaffah Bridge and the Corniche - will now require a ticket
- villa residents will need a permit to park outside their home. One vehicle is Dh800 and a second is Dh1,200.
- The penalty for failing to pay for a ticket after 10 minutes will be Dh200
- Parking on a patch of sand will incur a fine of Dh300
Timeline
2012-2015
The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East
May 2017
The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts
September 2021
Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act
October 2021
Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence
December 2024
Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group
May 2025
The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan
July 2025
The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan
August 2025
Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision
October 2025
Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange
November 2025
180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE
The five pillars of Islam
Groom and Two Brides
Director: Elie Semaan
Starring: Abdullah Boushehri, Laila Abdallah, Lulwa Almulla
Rating: 3/5
Who was Alfred Nobel?
The Nobel Prize was created by wealthy Swedish chemist and entrepreneur Alfred Nobel.
- In his will he dictated that the bulk of his estate should be used to fund "prizes to those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind".
- Nobel is best known as the inventor of dynamite, but also wrote poetry and drama and could speak Russian, French, English and German by the age of 17. The five original prize categories reflect the interests closest to his heart.
- Nobel died in 1896 but it took until 1901, following a legal battle over his will, before the first prizes were awarded.
If you go
Flight connections to Ulaanbaatar are available through a variety of hubs, including Seoul and Beijing, with airlines including Mongolian Airlines and Korean Air. While some nationalities, such as Americans, don’t need a tourist visa for Mongolia, others, including UAE citizens, can obtain a visa on arrival, while others including UK citizens, need to obtain a visa in advance. Contact the Mongolian Embassy in the UAE for more information.
Nomadic Road offers expedition-style trips to Mongolia in January and August, and other destinations during most other months. Its nine-day August 2020 Mongolia trip will cost from $5,250 per person based on two sharing, including airport transfers, two nights’ hotel accommodation in Ulaanbaatar, vehicle rental, fuel, third party vehicle liability insurance, the services of a guide and support team, accommodation, food and entrance fees; nomadicroad.com
A fully guided three-day, two-night itinerary at Three Camel Lodge costs from $2,420 per person based on two sharing, including airport transfers, accommodation, meals and excursions including the Yol Valley and Flaming Cliffs. A return internal flight from Ulaanbaatar to Dalanzadgad costs $300 per person and the flight takes 90 minutes each way; threecamellodge.com
WHAT IS A BLACK HOLE?
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
What vitamins do we know are beneficial for living in the UAE
Vitamin D: Highly relevant in the UAE due to limited sun exposure; supports bone health, immunity and mood.
Vitamin B12: Important for nerve health and energy production, especially for vegetarians, vegans and individuals with absorption issues.
Iron: Useful only when deficiency or anaemia is confirmed; helps reduce fatigue and support immunity.
Omega-3 (EPA/DHA): Supports heart health and reduces inflammation, especially for those who consume little fish.
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.
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbocharged and three electric motors
Power: Combined output 920hp
Torque: 730Nm at 4,000-7,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel consumption: 11.2L/100km
On sale: Now, deliveries expected later in 2025
Price: expected to start at Dh1,432,000
Results
4pm: Al Bastakiya – Listed (TB) $150,000 (Dirt) 1,900m; Winner: Panadol, Mickael Barzalona (jockey), Salem bin Ghadayer (trainer)
4.35pm: Dubai City Of Gold – Group 2 (TB) $228,000 (Turf) 2,410m; Winner: Walton Street, William Buick, Charlie Appleby
5.10pm: Mahab Al Shimaal – Group 3 (TB) $228,000 (D) 1,200m; Winner: Canvassed, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson
5.45pm: Burj Nahaar – Group 3 (TB) $228,000 (D) 1,600m; Winner: Midnight Sands, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson
6.20pm: Jebel Hatta – Group 1 (TB) $260,000 (T) 1,800m; Winner: Lord Glitters, Daniel Tudhope, David O’Meara
6.55pm: Al Maktoum Challenge Round-1 – Group 1 (TB) $390,000 (D) 2,000m; Winner: Salute The Soldier, Adrie de Vries, Fawzi Nass
7.30pm: Nad Al Sheba – Group 3 (TB) $228,000 (T) 1,200m; Winner: Final Song, Frankie Dettori, Saeed bin Suroor
The specs: 2018 Volkswagen Teramont
Price, base / as tested Dh137,000 / Dh189,950
Engine 3.6-litre V6
Gearbox Eight-speed automatic
Power 280hp @ 6,200rpm
Torque 360Nm @ 2,750rpm
Fuel economy, combined 11.7L / 100km
The President's Cake
Director: Hasan Hadi
Starring: Baneen Ahmad Nayyef, Waheed Thabet Khreibat, Sajad Mohamad Qasem
Rating: 4/5
Director: Laxman Utekar
Cast: Vicky Kaushal, Akshaye Khanna, Diana Penty, Vineet Kumar Singh, Rashmika Mandanna
Rating: 1/5
Liverpool's all-time goalscorers
Ian Rush 346
Roger Hunt 285
Mohamed Salah 250
Gordon Hodgson 241
Billy Liddell 228
Profile
Company: Libra Project
Based: Masdar City, ADGM, London and Delaware
Launch year: 2017
Size: A team of 12 with six employed full-time
Sector: Renewable energy
Funding: $500,000 in Series A funding from family and friends in 2018. A Series B round looking to raise $1.5m is now live.
The specs
Engine: 5.2-litre twin-turbo V12
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Power: 715bhp
Torque: 900Nm
Price: Dh1,289,376
On sale: now
Key changes
Commission caps
For life insurance products with a savings component, Peter Hodgins of Clyde & Co said different caps apply to the saving and protection elements:
• For the saving component, a cap of 4.5 per cent of the annualised premium per year (which may not exceed 90 per cent of the annualised premium over the policy term).
• On the protection component, there is a cap of 10 per cent of the annualised premium per year (which may not exceed 160 per cent of the annualised premium over the policy term).
• Indemnity commission, the amount of commission that can be advanced to a product salesperson, can be 50 per cent of the annualised premium for the first year or 50 per cent of the total commissions on the policy calculated.
• The remaining commission after deduction of the indemnity commission is paid equally over the premium payment term.
• For pure protection products, which only offer a life insurance component, the maximum commission will be 10 per cent of the annualised premium multiplied by the length of the policy in years.
Disclosure
Customers must now be provided with a full illustration of the product they are buying to ensure they understand the potential returns on savings products as well as the effects of any charges. There is also a “free-look” period of 30 days, where insurers must provide a full refund if the buyer wishes to cancel the policy.
“The illustration should provide for at least two scenarios to illustrate the performance of the product,” said Mr Hodgins. “All illustrations are required to be signed by the customer.”
Another illustration must outline surrender charges to ensure they understand the costs of exiting a fixed-term product early.
Illustrations must also be kept updatedand insurers must provide information on the top five investment funds available annually, including at least five years' performance data.
“This may be segregated based on the risk appetite of the customer (in which case, the top five funds for each segment must be provided),” said Mr Hodgins.
Product providers must also disclose the ratio of protection benefit to savings benefits. If a protection benefit ratio is less than 10 per cent "the product must carry a warning stating that it has limited or no protection benefit" Mr Hodgins added.
The Bio
Favourite holiday destination: Either Kazakhstan or Montenegro. I’ve been involved in events in both countries and they are just stunning.
Favourite book: I am a huge of Robin Cook’s medical thrillers, which I suppose is quite apt right now. My mother introduced me to them back home in New Zealand.
Favourite film or television programme: Forrest Gump is my favourite film, that’s never been up for debate. I love watching repeats of Mash as well.
Inspiration: My late father moulded me into the man I am today. I would also say disappointment and sadness are great motivators. There are times when events have brought me to my knees but it has also made me determined not to let them get the better of me.
Company profile
Name: Steppi
Founders: Joe Franklin and Milos Savic
Launched: February 2020
Size: 10,000 users by the end of July and a goal of 200,000 users by the end of the year
Employees: Five
Based: Jumeirah Lakes Towers, Dubai
Financing stage: Two seed rounds – the first sourced from angel investors and the founders' personal savings
Second round raised Dh720,000 from silent investors in June this year
The%20specs
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BLACKBERRY
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Business Insights
- As per the document, there are six filing options, including choosing to report on a realisation basis and transitional rules for pre-tax period gains or losses.
- SMEs with revenue below Dh3 million per annum can opt for transitional relief until 2026, treating them as having no taxable income.
- Larger entities have specific provisions for asset and liability movements, business restructuring, and handling foreign permanent establishments.
The%20specs
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ESSENTIALS
The flights
Fly Etihad or Emirates from the UAE to Moscow from 2,763 return per person return including taxes.
Where to stay
Trips on the Golden Eagle Trans-Siberian cost from US$16,995 (Dh62,414) per person, based on two sharing.
Hot%20Seat
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