t was quite a season for Iranian
strikers in Europe. Zenit’s Sardar
Azmoun finished joint-top scorer
in the Russian Premier League;
Mehdi Taremi did the same in
Portugal and has promptly been
snapped up by Porto; while only three players scored
more than Kaveh Rezaei in Belgium. For a national
team whose recent relative success was built on
a strong defence, these are encouraging signs.
If only Arabian nations in West Asia could say
the same. The biggest and best talents in Saudi
Arabia and United Arab Emirates tend to stay at
home, where they are lauded and paid very well.
Even those that still wished to leave often had
dreams dashed by all-powerful owners reluctant
to lose their biggest stars.
Qatar were supposed to be different. A few years
ago it seemed that the 2022 World Cup hosts
knew that their best chance of success in theirFridaySeptember 4
ENGLAND:The Premier League
announces that it has terminated
its £564 million TV contract in
China, later agreeing to a new
broadcast deal which covers the
rest of the 2020-21 season.
QATAR:Santi Cazorla scores a
stunning goal on his Al Sadd debut
in a 5-1 victory over Al Kharaitiyat.
SaturdaySeptember 5
CHINA:Cameroon forwardJohn
Home comforts
The 2022 World Cup hosts’ biggest footballing
talents continue to stay at homeI
first appearance on the global stage was to give
the national team as much international exposure
as possible. As well as Copa America invitations,
there were efforts to send players to Europe.
In 2019, it all seemed to be coming together. It
started with a spectacular Asian Cup triumph and
ended with Akram Afif, who managed ten assists in
that tournament win, being named Asian Player of
the Year. The 23-year-old winger spent 2015-18
playing for Eupen in Belgium and then Sporting
Gijon in Spain.
Abdelkarim Hassan, 2018 Asian Player of
the Year, also spent time in Belgium, and it was
assumed that the full-back would go on to play
on bigger stages.
The duo were expected to return to Europe
soon after the Asian Cup finished, but that has
not been the case. In fact, inJuly both Afif and
Hassan signed new long-term deals with Qatari
powerhouse Al Sadd.
“I am delighted with the renewal
of the contract, and I will strive to
give everything I have to meet the
aspirations of the administration,
thecoachingstaffandthefans,”
Afif said. “I hope to give my best
in the upcoming challenges, at
home and in Asia, and compete
for all titles.”
At least, Hassan sounded like he
was still interested in expanding his
horizons. “I also thank the Al Sadd
management for leaving the doors
of European professionalism open
to me during the next period,
upon the arrival of an offer that
suits my potential and ambition.”Champions...Qatar won the AFC
Asian Cup in February 2019Qatar
JOHN DUERDENMary and his club Shenzhen allege
that he was racially abused during
a Chinese Super League match
against Shanghai Shenhua.
ENGLAND:The new Women’s
Super League season begins, with
Manchester City beating newly-
promoted Aston Villa 2-0 thanks
to a brace from Georgia Stanway.
SundaySeptember 6
ENGLAND:Wolves sign
experienced Brazilian left-back
Marcal from Lyon for€2m.MondaySeptember 7
ICELAND:England youngsters
Phil Foden and Mason Greenwood
are sent home from international
duty after breaking COVID
lockdown rules.
NORTHERN IRELAND:Erling
Haaland and Alexander Sorloth
bag a brace each as Norway thrash
Northern Ireland 5-1in Belfast in
the UEFA Nations League.
FRANCE:Forward Kylian Mbappe
tests positive for coronavirus, justtwo days after scoring the winning
goal against Sweden in the UEFA
Nations League.
TuesdaySeptember 8
CONCACAF:A late decision is
made to postpone the CONCACAF
2022 World Cup qualifiers,
scheduled for October and
November, until March 2021.
PORTUGAL:Cristiano Ronaldo
becomes the first European male
footballer to hit a century of
international goals.Playmaker...Akram Afif