When Diego Maradona played in Saudi Arabia - Arab world mourns passing of a legend

Diego Maradona played an exhibition match for Al-Ahli in Jeddah in 1987. (Twitter)
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Updated 26 November 2020
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When Diego Maradona played in Saudi Arabia - Arab world mourns passing of a legend

  • Saudi Arabia was lucky to witness Diego Maradona’s outrageous skills at their prime
  • Football legend went on to manage in the UAE

LONDON: The debate as to whether Diego Maradona is the best player the world has ever seen will spark back into life with the news of his death at the age of 60 on Wednesday, However, those lucky Saudi fans who saw him in action in Jeddah in 1987 will surely insist that he was the greatest. Even those who do not will join the Arab world in mourning the loss of Argentine.

Maradona is best known internationally for leading Argentina to victory in the 1986 World Cup when he was at the peak of his form. His performances in Mexico will never be forgotten.

 

 

So to see him in Jeddah a year later wearing the shirt of Al-Ahli was something special. He had joined to help celebrate the club’s 50th anniversary in an exhibition game against Brondby of Denmark.

Napoli, where he played every week, were unhappy that their star asset was heading to Saudi Arabia and were afraid of a possible injury, but this was Maradona and he did what he wanted, on and off the pitch with a fee of $100,000 too good to turn down.

Inspired by the star’s presence, Al-Ahli defeated their European opponents 5-2. Three were made by the South American and he scored the other two. The first was a delightful lob over the Danish goalkeeper with the second a casual flick. It sent a full house wild with delight. It wasn’t just the skill but the love of football that thrilled.

Maradona scored just once against Arab opposition but fans of Morocco will not mind that their defense was breached by the maestro in a 1994 friendly against Argentina. It was his last penultimate goal for his country and after failing a drugs test at the subsequent World Cup, he never played on the international stage again.




Diego Maradona played an exhibition match for Al-Ahli in Jeddah in 1987. (Twitter)

He did coach the Argentine squad, taking them to the last eight of the 2010 World Cup and a chastening 4-0 loss to Germany. Less than a year later, however, the then 50-year-old shocked the football world and thrilled those in the UAE and the wider region by taking over Al-Wasl. West Asia had seen better coaches with better records but there had never been a bigger football name to come and ply their trade.

I remember the buzz around the stadium in Abu Dhabi for his first game in charge at Al Jazira in September 2011. The bigger than usual crowd was swelled by media from all over the world all trying to get a word with the legend. The sheer number of microphones placed in front of the smiling South American as he talked to the press has rarely been seen in Asian football.




Diego Maradona played an exhibition match for Al-Ahli in Jeddah in 1987. (Twitter)

In truth, he was a success even before he started. The club put itself in headlines around the world. 

“From a business perspective it’s a feasible decision that makes absolute sense,” said Marwan bin Beyat, the club chairman. “The name of Al-Wasl has exploded on the worldwide radar. The publicity we are getting can be compared to the largest clubs in the world.”

On the pitch, that first game was an entertaining one but ended in a 4-3 loss for the visitors, setting the tone for the rest of the season. There was rarely a dull moment but it ended in disappointment. He was fired in July 2012 after a turbulent 14 months in charge with Al-Wasl ending the season in eighth place.




Maradona looks at his new shirt with Marwan Bin Bayat, chairman of the Emirati Al-Wasl Football Company, during a press conference in Dubai, in 2011. (AFP/FIle)

Gabriel Calderon, the former Argentine international who played with Maradona at the 1982 and 1990 World Cup, and coached in the UAE at the same time as Maradona, said his compatriot was the best player in the world.

“With him in your team then you knew that anything was possible,” Calderon, who coached Bani Yas and followed Maradona at Al-Wasl, as well as coaching in Saudi Arabia. “As a coach in UAE, he knew that it would not be easy but although he was the center of attention with the media, he just loved football, he loved  being around the players and trying to help them as much as possible. He had many happy memories of his time in UAE and I know that the fans there loved him too.” 

After Al-Wasl, Maradona wasn’t done with the UAE and took over Fujairah in the second division in 2017 but left the following year after failing to secure promotion.

That will, rightly, be a footnote as the world mourns the passing of a legend but the Arab world has its own special memories of Diego Maradona, a player who briefly shone so brightly in Saudi Arabia in 1987.


Northern Borders region experiences unusual start to winter

Hailstorms left parts of Al-Jouf covered in a white dusting. (SPA)
Updated 5 sec ago
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Northern Borders region experiences unusual start to winter

  • National Center for Meteorology forecasts more rain, hailstorm

RIYADH: Heavy rain, snow and giant hailstones mean the Northern Borders region in Saudi Arabia is experiencing an unusual start to winter.

Video clips shared on social media show hail and snow blanketing areas in Al-Jouf, Hail and Tabuk with the mountains now covered, according to local residents.

Posting a video on X, a user called Sarahh wrote: “Hail suffered heavy hail on 2 November, the desert road between Rafha and Hail turned white. Heavy hail also occurred in Turaif and north of Madinah region.”

While snowfall is not unusual in the region each year, the early onset of winter has taken people by surprise as it is usually experienced in December and January.

“The heavy rainfall, hailstorm, with record-breaking sub-zero temperatures at this time and snowfall as a result … are a pleasant surprise and also an indicator that climate change is real. For those who say climate change is not real, take a peek at the cold weather conditions that Saudi Arabia is currently going through in the Northern Borders region at the onset of winter,” said Riyadh resident Mohammed Al-Harbi.

The weather has also caused flash floods in some areas, while on Friday the National Center for Meteorology forecast: “Dust-stirring winds will blow and moderate to heavy rain accompanied by hail, leading to flash floods in parts of Hail, Al-Jouf, the Northern Borders, Jazan, Aseer, and Al-Baha.”

Light to moderate rain is expected in parts of the Makkah and Madinah regions, it said, adding that there may also be fog in those areas and in southern parts of the Eastern region.

Meanwhile, winds over the Red Sea will be westerly to north westerly at speeds of 10-30 km per hour in northern and central parts, and southwesterly to westerly at speeds of 10-30 km per hour in the southern part. Waves may reach from 1-1.5 meters with thunder clouds forming in the latter, with calm to choppy waters.

In the Arabian Gulf, winds will be northerly to northwesterly, reaching 10-40 km per hour. Waves may range from 1-2 meters and the sea will be relatively calm.


Saudi Arabia advocates for global cooperation to end hunger, ensure food security

Saudi Deputy Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture Mansour bin Hilal Al-Mushaiti speaking at the "A World Without Hunge
Updated 40 min 13 sec ago
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Saudi Arabia advocates for global cooperation to end hunger, ensure food security

  • Saudi Deputy Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture Mansour bin Hilal Al-Mushaiti says agriculture is a cornerstone for achieving sustainable development
  • He was speaking at the "A World Without Hunger” conference in Addis Ababa

RIYADH: The Kingdom sees agriculture as a cornerstone for achieving sustainable development and supporting economic growth, Saudi Deputy Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture Mansour bin Hilal Al-Mushaiti said this week.

Al-Mushaiti led the Saudi delegation to the three-day “A World Without Hunger” conference that began on Tuesday in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

During his conference speech, Al-Mushaiti said that agriculture also played a key role in job creation and prosperity for local communities. This came through the strengthening of farmer support systems and the promotion of modern agricultural practices to increase production and improve efficiency, ultimately achieving food security.

“The significant progress made in science, innovation and modern technologies has contributed to addressing many urgent global food challenges,” Al-Mushaiti said. “However, the advancement achieved in enhancing food security remains insufficient. This underscores the crucial importance of intensifying global efforts and activating policies to develop practical and effective solutions.”

The deputy minister said that direct food aid and humanitarian relief efforts had played a key role in providing short-term solutions to food insecurity in many countries. He said that the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center had implemented about 900 food security projects in 78 countries worldwide, reflecting the Kingdom’s humanitarian role and support for peoples facing severe conditions.

Al-Mushaiti said that boosting investment in the agriculture and food sectors had become paramount to building a world free of hunger. This could be achieved through adopting innovation and modern farming techniques, as well as providing flexible financing solutions to increase production and build resilience in agricultural and food systems.

“The Kingdom welcomes agricultural investments in all fields and offers incentives and support for investors globally,” Al-Mushaaiti said. “We seek to expand agricultural investment in countries with competitive advantages, abundant natural resources and growing markets, to leverage integrated agricultural capabilities and create more job opportunities toward achieving food security.”

Al-Mushaaiti stressed the need to strengthen multilateral international cooperation and engagement with global organizations, in addition to promoting fair trade in line with WTO standards. This, he said, would contribute to building a world free of hunger, alongside other essential steps such as exchanging best agricultural practices and technologies, expanding access to innovative financing, and enhancing infrastructure and social safety net programs.

Al-Mushaiti said that the Kingdom had taken several steps in this direction. This included launching programs and initiatives such as the Sustainable Rural Agricultural Development Program, which contributed to increasing the income of small-scale farmers and improving their living standards, and the Small and Medium Enterprises General Authority“Monsha’at” Authority to support micro, small and medium enterprises in the sector, through financing, training and job opportunities, and other ambitious projects and programs that worked to support the agricultural sector and activate its contribution to achieving food security.

The “A World Without Hunger” conference was organized by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization, the African Union Commission and the Ethiopian government, with the participation of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN, to discuss topics related to the agriculture, food production and technology sectors, as well as food security, finance, food safety, infrastructure and more.


Sudanese cultural festival begins at Suwaidi Park

Updated 08 November 2024
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Sudanese cultural festival begins at Suwaidi Park

RIYADH: A cultural festival at Suwaidi Park is inviting visitors to explore the rich heritage and traditions of Sudan.

Part of Riyadh Season, the event takes place until Nov. 17 and features Sudanese music, dancing, food and crafts.

Content creator Hamoud Waleed said cultural festivals played a key role in building connections and understanding.

“Events like this are very important because sometimes you can’t go to see their tradition and culture. But when these cultures come to us here … it lets us know more and more about other people, how they live, what their interests are, and how we can engage with them,” he said.

“When we talk about Sudanese culture, it’s beautiful and comes from a very old history and nice heritage, and when it comes to us, it lets us know more about it, and this is exactly what we are seeing here in Suwaidi Park.”

Sudanese nationals make up 6.1 percent of the Kingdom’s population, according to the Saudi Census, so such exhibitions are important in promoting mutual respect and harmony between communities.

Sudanese singer Youssef Khairy highlighted the diversity of his culture, explaining how sharing traditions strengthened bonds between different people.

“Music unites us all, regardless of colors, shapes, languages, religions, or ways of thinking,” he said. “I am here to represent Nubian music, Nubian heritage and the Nubian civilization.”

Live music and dance performances during the festival are bringing Sudanese heritage to life and offering audiences an authentic cultural experience.

Visitor Olaa Abdulnaaem said these, along with the lively atmosphere, and engaging children’s activities, were standout features for her.

Hiam Othman, a Sudanese attire designer, said the festival had significantly promoted her business. “Our products have been well-received, and they reflect our Sudanese culture,” she said.

Riyadh Season 2024 has already drawn 4 million visitors from around the world, according to Turki Alalshikh, chairman of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority. He believes the surge in attendance reflects a growing appetite for cultural exploration and new experiences.

The festival is part of the Global Harmony initiative by the Ministry of Media and the General Entertainment Authority, which is aligned with the goals of the Quality of Life Program. The scheme celebrates the Kingdom’s multicultural landscape by highlighting the lives, contributions and cultural integration of its residents.

In the coming weeks, Global Harmony will celebrate a variety of cultures. After the Sudanese festival there will be a Jordanian, Lebanese and Syrian event from Nov. 17-19, Bangladeshi from Nov. 20-23, and Egyptian from Nov. 24-30. 

Launched on Oct. 17, the initiative began with music and dance honoring the culture of Indian expatriates.


KSrelief delivers winter aid and dates to Yemen’s vulnerable

These packages form part of the emergency shelter project in Yemen. (SPA)
Updated 08 November 2024
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KSrelief delivers winter aid and dates to Yemen’s vulnerable

RIYADH: The Kingdom’s aid agency KSrelief has delivered dates and winter shelter to vulnerable people in Yemen, the Saudi Press Agency reported late Thursday.

KSrelief’s volunteers distributed 100 winter bags in Thamud district, Hadhramaut governorate, for 600 individuals from 100 vulnerable families.

These packages form part of the emergency shelter project in Yemen. (SPA)

The aid is a part of the agency’s emergency shelter project in the country.

Meanwhile, 2,459 cartons of dates were delivered in Al-Wadi district, Marib governorate, for the benefit of 14,754 people.


KSrelief continues international relief efforts in Chad, Pakistan

Updated 08 November 2024
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KSrelief continues international relief efforts in Chad, Pakistan

RIYADH: Saudi aid agency KSrelief has delivered aid to people most in need in Chad and Pakistan, reported the Saudi Press Agency.

Some 201 food parcels, benefiting 1,206 people, were distributed in the village of Sharkaya, in Hajar Lamis province, as part of the 2024 Food Security Support Project in the Republic of Chad.

Aid has also been given to 10,500 vulnerable people in flood-affected areas of Pakistan as part of the fourth phase of KSrelief’s initiative to provide shelter materials and winter bags to the country.