It took around 46 minutes for the supporters of Esperance of Tunisia, numerous and fantastically noisy when circumstances demand, to fall in love all over again with a favourite maverick.
The players had just emerged from half time on the opening day of the 2024/25 league season, Esperance at home to US Tataouine, when Youcef Belaili drifted across the penalty area, left to right, and was picked out by a neat angled pass from Yan Sasse. The rest was instantly familiar. A deft check inside his marker, then a booming trivela, curled from the outside of his right boot past a helpless goalkeeper. Welcome home, the brilliant, sometimes baffling Belaili.
Esperance won 3-0, their first points towards another league title, number 34 on the club’s unmatched tally of domestic championships, and here was Belaili doing just what he used to do in the blood-and-gold jersey. It was a soothing sight because there had been some scepticism when, last summer, the Algerian winger signed for a third time with Esperance. He was 32, and looked back on a zig-zag career peppered with shortened stays at some clubs and angry disputes at a few of them. “The ‘enfant terrible’ is back,” suggested a headline in La Presse de Tunisie, wondering if a second return to Esperance might be one comeback too many.
Ten months on, heading for a Club World Cup that was in Belaili’s mind when he plotted his third stint at Esperance, the maverick has cast himself as main man in the club’s ambitions to upset the hierarchy of a group that has Chelsea and Flamengo as its favourites and to push the North Africans into the knockout phase. Belaili arrives in the USA in the form of his life, the club’s top scorer and top assister in a double-winning campaign – 34 goal-involvements in all from 24 games across competitions. In the CAF Champions League, where Esperance were narrowly eliminated in the semi-final, only Fiston Mayele, of champions Pyramids, finished with more goals than Belaili.
He is back in the Algeria national team, too, recalled in March by a head coach, Vladimir Petkovic, who began his reign by directly referencing “indiscipline” as a reason for excluding Belaili. Petkovic barely needed to cite the long history, from the ban, after testing positive for a prohibited substance that cost Belaili two years of his career in his mid-20s to the rows that led to the cancellation of his contacts at French clubs Brest and Ajaccio. There were sour endings to his stints at Al Ahli in Jeddah and Qatar SC, too. Nor was his exit from Mouloudia of Algiers, where he spearheaded a title-winning season in 2023/24, happily received there, his departure taken as evidence, in the eyes of some compatriots, of Belail’s incorrigible restlessness. His stay there lasted just one year.
This deep into his career, Belaili is stuck with that ‘difficult’ reputation, but when a player is supplying match-winning moments at such frequency, and delighting fans, a wise manager makes compromises. “He made a great impression for us,” his coach at Mouloudia, Patrice Beaumelle, told So Foot magazine. “He’s a player who lives on instinct and for challenges. But put too many restrictions on him and he won’t enjoy himself or be at his best.”
And being so clearly at his best in his club football for two full seasons now has convinced Petkovic. Last week, Belaili marked his third game since his Algeria recall – his 54th cap in all – by scoring the first goal and setting up the second in Algeria’s 2-0 win against Rwanda.
That’s fine form to be taking to the US adventure and the mark of a consistency that both challenges the well-established image of Belaili as erratic and speaks of a stability and leadership that has not been reflected elsewhere at Esperance. Notably in the dugout. There have been four head coaches in charge in 2024/25, and if none of them have doubted that Belaili should be their touchstone in attack, that high turnover gives a clue to the sorts of nervy expectation that drives Esperance club presidents.
In October Miguel Cardoso was dismissed as head coach, five months after having led Esperance to a CAF Champions League final and to the club’s 33rd national title. After the brief caretakership of Skander Kasri, Laurentiu Reghecampf lasted 24 games, invited to leave after a sequence of two wins in five. And so the wheel turned back to Maher Kanzari, twice previously an Esperance head coach. He’ll be the man in charge for the Club World Cup adventure.
Kanzari and Belaili go back all the way to the 2012/13 season, when Belaili was first making himself a hero at Esperance and the coach had his initial go aboard the club’s managerial merry-go-round. A dozen years later, Kanzari was grateful of the savvy of his Algerian wizard to push Esperance through the last stages of a tight title race, the prize sealed on the penultimate matchday. “Thanks to the experience of the players and the coaching staff, we came through a lot of challenges this season,” said Kanzari.
“This is Esperance. We have to finish on top,” added Belaili. It was his fifth Tunisian league title, to add to the 2012 medal from spell number one with the club; to the two titles, coupled with back-to-back African Champions Leagues, from his first Esperance sequel, the two seasons up until 2019, the year he also won the Africa Cup of Nations with his country.
He’s a player who lives on instinct and for challenges. But put too many restrictions on him and he won’t enjoy himself or be at his best.
Patrice Beaumelle,
former Mouloudia coach
But never has Belaili been so regularly effective as now with the club that keeps asking him back. Part of that is down to his slick dovetailing with Sasse, the Brazilian and his connection, along the left flank with the redoutable full-back Mohamed Amine Ben Hamida. Esperance recruited well in the winter transfer window, too, by signing Chiheb Jebali from Monastir, a creative passer and a strong alternative, delivering a dead ball, to Belaili’s set-piece skills.
Defensively, Esperance have tightened up over the two months under Kanzari’s watch. If the group that awaits them in America looks daunting, with its opening test against in-form Flamengo, it offers possibilities of progress, particularly if they can go into their last first-phase game against Chelsea having beaten Los Angeles FC, the last of the 32 qualifiers for the tournament. “We know how to make our experience in big matches count,” promised Kanzari.
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
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If you go
Where to stay: Courtyard by Marriott Titusville Kennedy Space Centre has unparalleled views of the Indian River. Alligators can be spotted from hotel room balconies, as can several rocket launch sites. The hotel also boasts cool space-themed decor.
When to go: Florida is best experienced during the winter months, from November to May, before the humidity kicks in.
How to get there: Emirates currently flies from Dubai to Orlando five times a week.
At a glance
- 20,000 new jobs for Emiratis over three years
- Dh300 million set aside to train 18,000 jobseekers in new skills
- Managerial jobs in government restricted to Emiratis
- Emiratis to get priority for 160 types of job in private sector
- Portion of VAT revenues will fund more graduate programmes
- 8,000 Emirati graduates to do 6-12 month replacements in public or private sector on a Dh10,000 monthly wage - 40 per cent of which will be paid by government
More from UAE Human Development Report:
The specs
Engine: Long-range single or dual motor with 200kW or 400kW battery
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Max touring range: 620km / 590km
Price: From Dh250,000 (estimated)
Abu Dhabi World Pro 2019 remaining schedule:
Wednesday April 24: Abu Dhabi World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship, 11am-6pm
Thursday April 25: Abu Dhabi World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship, 11am-5pm
Friday April 26: Finals, 3-6pm
Saturday April 27: Awards ceremony, 4pm and 8pm
Company: Instabug
Founded: 2013
Based: Egypt, Cairo
Sector: IT
Employees: 100
Stage: Series A
Investors: Flat6Labs, Accel, Y Combinator and angel investors
Biography
Favourite Meal: Chicken Caesar salad
Hobbies: Travelling, going to the gym
Inspiration: Father, who was a captain in the UAE army
Favourite read: Rich Dad Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki and Sharon Lechter
Favourite film: The Founder, about the establishment of McDonald's
Russia's Muslim Heartlands
Dominic Rubin, Oxford
UK-EU trade at a glance
EU fishing vessels guaranteed access to UK waters for 12 years
Co-operation on security initiatives and procurement of defence products
Youth experience scheme to work, study or volunteer in UK and EU countries
Smoother border management with use of e-gates
Cutting red tape on import and export of food
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo
Power: 201hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 320Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 6-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 8.7L/100km
Price: Dh133,900
On sale: now
Infiniti QX80 specs
Engine: twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6
Power: 450hp
Torque: 700Nm
Price: From Dh450,000, Autograph model from Dh510,000
Available: Now
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
How it works
Booklava works on a subscription model. On signing up you receive a free book as part of a 30-day-trial period, after which you pay US$9.99 (Dh36.70) per month to gain access to a library of books and discounts of up to 30 per cent on selected titles. You can cancel your subscription at any time. For more details go to www.booklava.com
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David Haye record
Total fights: 32
Wins: 28
Wins by KO: 26
Losses: 4
PROFILE OF STARZPLAY
Date started: 2014
Founders: Maaz Sheikh, Danny Bates
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment/Streaming Video On Demand
Number of employees: 125
Investors/Investment amount: $125 million. Major investors include Starz/Lionsgate, State Street, SEQ and Delta Partners
If you go
The flights
There are various ways of getting to the southern Serengeti in Tanzania from the UAE. The exact route and airstrip depends on your overall trip itinerary and which camp you’re staying at.
Flydubai flies direct from Dubai to Kilimanjaro International Airport from Dh1,350 return, including taxes; this can be followed by a short flight from Kilimanjaro to the Serengeti with Coastal Aviation from about US$700 (Dh2,500) return, including taxes. Kenya Airways, Emirates and Etihad offer flights via Nairobi or Dar es Salaam.
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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About Proto21
Date started: May 2018
Founder: Pir Arkam
Based: Dubai
Sector: Additive manufacturing (aka, 3D printing)
Staff: 18
Funding: Invested, supported and partnered by Joseph Group
What is Reform?
Reform is a right-wing, populist party led by Nigel Farage, a former MEP who won a seat in the House of Commons last year at his eighth attempt and a prominent figure in the campaign for the UK to leave the European Union.
It was founded in 2018 and originally called the Brexit Party.
Many of its members previously belonged to UKIP or the mainstream Conservatives.
After Brexit took place, the party focused on the reformation of British democracy.
Former Tory deputy chairman Lee Anderson became its first MP after defecting in March 2024.
The party gained support from Elon Musk, and had hoped the tech billionaire would make a £100m donation. However, Mr Musk changed his mind and called for Mr Farage to step down as leader in a row involving the US tycoon's support for far-right figurehead Tommy Robinson who is in prison for contempt of court.
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League last 16, first leg
Liverpool v Bayern Munich, midnight, Wednesday, BeIN Sports
Most sought after workplace benefits in the UAE
- Flexible work arrangements
- Pension support
- Mental well-being assistance
- Insurance coverage for optical, dental, alternative medicine, cancer screening
- Financial well-being incentives
Defence review at a glance
• Increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027 but given “turbulent times it may be necessary to go faster”
• Prioritise a shift towards working with AI and autonomous systems
• Invest in the resilience of military space systems.
• Number of active reserves should be increased by 20%
• More F-35 fighter jets required in the next decade
• New “hybrid Navy” with AUKUS submarines and autonomous vessels
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More from Neighbourhood Watch:
The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
On sale: Now
Zayed Sustainability Prize
In numbers: China in Dubai
The number of Chinese people living in Dubai: An estimated 200,000
Number of Chinese people in International City: Almost 50,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2018/19: 120,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2010: 20,000
Percentage increase in visitors in eight years: 500 per cent
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre 6-cyl turbo
Power: 435hp at 5,900rpm
Torque: 520Nm at 1,800-5,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Price: from Dh498,542
On sale: now
More coverage from the Future Forum
Company profile: buybackbazaar.com
Name: buybackbazaar.com
Started: January 2018
Founder(s): Pishu Ganglani and Ricky Husaini
Based: Dubai
Sector: FinTech, micro finance
Initial investment: $1 million
ELIO
Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett
Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina
Rating: 4/5
EGYPT SQUAD
Goalkeepers: Ahmed El Shennawy, Mohamed El Shennawy, Mohamed Abou-Gabal, Mahmoud Abdel Rehem "Genesh"
Defenders: Ahmed Elmohamady, Ahmed Hegazi, Omar Gaber, Ali Gazal, Ayman Ahsraf, Mahmoud Hamdy, Baher Elmohamady, Ahmed Ayman Mansour, Mahmoud Alaa, Ahmed Abou-Elfotouh
Midfielders: Walid Soliman, Abdallah El Said, Mohamed Elneny, Tarek Hamed, Mahmoud “Trezeguet” Hassan, Amr Warda, Nabil Emad
Forwards: Ahmed Ali, Mohamed Salah, Marwan Mohsen, Ahmed "Kouka" Hassan.
Dubai works towards better air quality by 2021
Dubai is on a mission to record good air quality for 90 per cent of the year – up from 86 per cent annually today – by 2021.
The municipality plans to have seven mobile air-monitoring stations by 2020 to capture more accurate data in hourly and daily trends of pollution.
These will be on the Palm Jumeirah, Al Qusais, Muhaisnah, Rashidiyah, Al Wasl, Al Quoz and Dubai Investment Park.
“It will allow real-time responding for emergency cases,” said Khaldoon Al Daraji, first environment safety officer at the municipality.
“We’re in a good position except for the cases that are out of our hands, such as sandstorms.
“Sandstorms are our main concern because the UAE is just a receiver.
“The hotspots are Iran, Saudi Arabia and southern Iraq, but we’re working hard with the region to reduce the cycle of sandstorm generation.”
Mr Al Daraji said monitoring as it stood covered 47 per cent of Dubai.
There are 12 fixed stations in the emirate, but Dubai also receives information from monitors belonging to other entities.
“There are 25 stations in total,” Mr Al Daraji said.
“We added new technology and equipment used for the first time for the detection of heavy metals.
“A hundred parameters can be detected but we want to expand it to make sure that the data captured can allow a baseline study in some areas to ensure they are well positioned.”
Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
The specs: Aston Martin DB11 V8 vs Ferrari GTC4Lusso T
Price, base: Dh840,000; Dh120,000
Engine: 4.0L V8 twin-turbo; 3.9L V8 turbo
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic; seven-speed automatic
Power: 509hp @ 6,000rpm; 601hp @ 7,500rpm
Torque: 695Nm @ 2,000rpm; 760Nm @ 3,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 9.9L / 100km; 11.6L / 100km
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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.
WOMAN AND CHILD
Director: Saeed Roustaee
Starring: Parinaz Izadyar, Payman Maadi
Rating: 4/5
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The line up
Friday: Giggs, Sho Madjozi and Masego
Saturday: Nas, Lion Bbae, Roxanne Shante and DaniLeigh
Sole DXB runs from December 6 to 8 at Dubai Design District. Weekend pass is Dh295 while a one day pass is Dh195. Tickets are available from www.soledxb.com
What is blockchain?
Blockchain is a form of distributed ledger technology, a digital system in which data is recorded across multiple places at the same time. Unlike traditional databases, DLTs have no central administrator or centralised data storage. They are transparent because the data is visible and, because they are automatically replicated and impossible to be tampered with, they are secure.
The main difference between blockchain and other forms of DLT is the way data is stored as ‘blocks’ – new transactions are added to the existing ‘chain’ of past transactions, hence the name ‘blockchain’. It is impossible to delete or modify information on the chain due to the replication of blocks across various locations.
Blockchain is mostly associated with cryptocurrency Bitcoin. Due to the inability to tamper with transactions, advocates say this makes the currency more secure and safer than traditional systems. It is maintained by a network of people referred to as ‘miners’, who receive rewards for solving complex mathematical equations that enable transactions to go through.
However, one of the major problems that has come to light has been the presence of illicit material buried in the Bitcoin blockchain, linking it to the dark web.
Other blockchain platforms can offer things like smart contracts, which are automatically implemented when specific conditions from all interested parties are reached, cutting the time involved and the risk of mistakes. Another use could be storing medical records, as patients can be confident their information cannot be changed. The technology can also be used in supply chains, voting and has the potential to used for storing property records.
