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First Arab-Israeli Player to Play in Gulf League

Israeli player Dia Saba (File Photo: Saba’s official Instagram)
Israeli player Dia Saba (File Photo: Saba’s official Instagram)
    Dubai, London- Asharq Al-Awsat
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First Arab-Israeli Player to Play in Gulf League

Israeli player Dia Saba (File Photo: Saba’s official Instagram)
Israeli player Dia Saba (File Photo: Saba’s official Instagram)

The UAE Football League seems to be one facet of the the recent normalization of relations between the United Arab Emirates and Israel.

A source in the Dubai-based al-Nasr Football Club was quoted by AFP as saying that Dia Saba will be “the first Israeli player” to play in the UAE league since its launch in 1974.

The midfielder, 27, who is of Palestinian origins, is on his way to Dubai and will undergo the routine medical tests before officially joining the team, the source affirmed.

Saba is scheduled to sign a three-year contract, earning about $3 million per year, reports noted.

He is currently playing for the Chinese Super League club Guangzhou R&F and is set to leave the Far East outfit after a year-and-a-half stint.

Saba posted an image on his official Instagram page of himself on a Dubai-bound Emirates flight confirming his transfer from China’s Guangzhou R&F.

Nasr Club’s contracting with Saba comes as Israel and the UAE agreed to formally normalize their relations in mid-August and signed the normalization agreement at the US White House on September 15.

The UAE and Bahrain were the first two Gulf States to announce normalizing ties with Israel, preceded by Egypt in 1979 and Jordan in 1994.

Israeli Army spokesman for the Arab media Avichay Adraee posted a picture of Saba on his Twitter account.

“Israeli soccer player Dia Saba on his way to Dubai to join the Emirati Al-Nasr team to become the first Israeli player in the Gulf League,” he tweeted.

Emirati tweeters also welcomed the deal.

“Dia Saba, the first Israeli player in the Arab Gulf League, is an excellent step, and we wish him all success and welcome him in the homeland of tolerance,” Fahd al-Hosani wrote.

Saba was born to an Arab-Israeli family in Majd al-Krum and has previously played for Maccabi Netanya in 2014 and Hapoel Be'er Sheva in 2018 before signing for Guangzhou R&F in 2019.

Al-Nasr has welcomed four new players this season. These are Sebastian Tagliabue from Al Wahda, Ryan Mendes from Cape Verde from Sharjah, Abdul Rahman Youssef from Al Dhafra Club, and the 19-year-old Brazilian player, Caique Jesus.

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Sports

PSG Moves Opening League Game after Heatwave Causes Damage to Pitch at Parc des Princes

(FILES) A picture shows the empty stands and pitch before the French Cup round of 16 football match between Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) and Lille (LOSC) at the Parc des Princes stadium in Paris, on March 17, 2021. (Photo by FRANCK FIFE / AFP)
(FILES) A picture shows the empty stands and pitch before the French Cup round of 16 football match between Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) and Lille (LOSC) at the Parc des Princes stadium in Paris, on March 17, 2021. (Photo by FRANCK FIFE / AFP)
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PSG Moves Opening League Game after Heatwave Causes Damage to Pitch at Parc des Princes

(FILES) A picture shows the empty stands and pitch before the French Cup round of 16 football match between Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) and Lille (LOSC) at the Parc des Princes stadium in Paris, on March 17, 2021. (Photo by FRANCK FIFE / AFP)
(FILES) A picture shows the empty stands and pitch before the French Cup round of 16 football match between Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) and Lille (LOSC) at the Parc des Princes stadium in Paris, on March 17, 2021. (Photo by FRANCK FIFE / AFP)

Paris Saint-Germain's opening game of its title defense in the French league against Rennes has been relocated at short notice because of damage to the champion's pitch following a heatwave this summer.

Sunday's match will now take place in Rennes, French soccer's competitions committee announced late Wednesday.

PSG said its pitch at Parc des Princes had deteriorated so much “that the current conditions did not allow the match to be held under satisfactory circumstances, particularly with regard to the safety and physical well-being of the players.”

The change of venue has been decided “in agreement” with Rennes, PSG said, and thanked its opponent for “making the match possible,” The Associated Press reported.

“Paris Saint-Germain fully understands the inconvenience caused by this change for its supporters and all those who had planned to attend this match at the Parc des Princes,” PSG added, saying “the club regrets this exceptional situation.”

PSG said it had “identified a solution for replacing the pitch at the Parc des Princes for the upcoming matches,” starting with its next home game in Ligue 1 against Monaco on Sept. 4.

Sports

Verstappen Commits to Red Bull Until End of 2030

(FILES) Red Bull Racing's Dutch driver Max Verstappen speaks during a press conference at the Spa-Francorchamps circuit, three days ahead of the Belgian Formula 1 Grand Prix, on July 16, 2026. (Photo by JOHN THYS / AFP)
(FILES) Red Bull Racing's Dutch driver Max Verstappen speaks during a press conference at the Spa-Francorchamps circuit, three days ahead of the Belgian Formula 1 Grand Prix, on July 16, 2026. (Photo by JOHN THYS / AFP)
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Verstappen Commits to Red Bull Until End of 2030

(FILES) Red Bull Racing's Dutch driver Max Verstappen speaks during a press conference at the Spa-Francorchamps circuit, three days ahead of the Belgian Formula 1 Grand Prix, on July 16, 2026. (Photo by JOHN THYS / AFP)
(FILES) Red Bull Racing's Dutch driver Max Verstappen speaks during a press conference at the Spa-Francorchamps circuit, three days ahead of the Belgian Formula 1 Grand Prix, on July 16, 2026. (Photo by JOHN THYS / AFP)

Max Verstappen signed a contract extension with Red Bull to the end of 2030 on Thursday, ending speculation about the four-time world champion's near-term Formula One future.

The 28-year-old already had a contract to the end of 2028 but with break clauses offering a potential way out should the team fail to meet his expectations and provide a winning car.

Such performance-related clauses were believed to have been triggered this season, according to Dutch media reports.

Red Bull lie fourth ⁠overall this season, ⁠and Verstappen sixth, 110 points behind Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli, after 11 races and ahead of his home grand prix this weekend.

The Dutch driver had been linked in media reports to both McLaren, who have signed his race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase from 2028 at the latest, and championship leaders Mercedes.

"I am really pleased with the ⁠contract extension," Verstappen, who joined Red Bull's junior program in 2014 and has won all his titles with the team, said in a team statement.

"We have the best people and I'm excited to keep working together with everyone to get back to the top again. This remains the ultimate goal that all of us have been working towards and will continue to pursue.

"I have always said it: The team is like a second family for me and I feel very at home ... to continue this journey with the same Team that I have ⁠been with ⁠my whole career is really special and something I have always wanted to do."

According to Reuters, team boss Laurent Mekies said very few partnerships in sport had achieved what Verstappen and Red Bull had, and the extension was rooted in trust.

"Since the very beginning, Max has embodied everything that makes Oracle Red Bull Racing special: uncompromising competitiveness, relentless determination and the courage to challenge convention," said the Frenchman.

"His impact on our team and on Red Bull's motorsport story has been transformational, and he has been fundamental to everything we have accomplished together.

"But we are not done yet. There are more races to win, more milestones to achieve and more history to write."

Sports

Messi Scores Emotional 1st Goal Since Father's Death

CHESTER, PENNSYLVANIA - AUGUST 19: Lionel Messi #10 of Inter Miami CF warms up before the match against the Philadelphia Union at Subaru Park on August 19, 2026 in Chester, Pennsylvania. Isaiah Vazquez/Getty Images/AFP
CHESTER, PENNSYLVANIA - AUGUST 19: Lionel Messi #10 of Inter Miami CF warms up before the match against the Philadelphia Union at Subaru Park on August 19, 2026 in Chester, Pennsylvania. Isaiah Vazquez/Getty Images/AFP
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Messi Scores Emotional 1st Goal Since Father's Death

CHESTER, PENNSYLVANIA - AUGUST 19: Lionel Messi #10 of Inter Miami CF warms up before the match against the Philadelphia Union at Subaru Park on August 19, 2026 in Chester, Pennsylvania. Isaiah Vazquez/Getty Images/AFP
CHESTER, PENNSYLVANIA - AUGUST 19: Lionel Messi #10 of Inter Miami CF warms up before the match against the Philadelphia Union at Subaru Park on August 19, 2026 in Chester, Pennsylvania. Isaiah Vazquez/Getty Images/AFP

Lionel Messi scored his first goal since the death of his father earlier this month in Inter Miami's 2-2 draw with Philadelphia Union on Wednesday.

Messi's father and longtime representative Jorge died aged 68 on August 8 in Rosario, Argentina.

In the 26th minute at Subaru Park, ⁠Messi shook off ⁠his marker and sent a left-footed shot into the net to give Miami a 2-1 first-half lead before being embraced by his teammates.

The 39-year-old also ⁠assisted on his team's first goal on a hot and humid night in Pennsylvania, Reuters reported.

Messi paid an emotional tribute to his father last week, saying he did not know how to continue without him.

The draw ended a three-game losing streak for defending MLS Cup ⁠champions ⁠Miami. The goal was Messi's 13th of the season, putting him one behind Dallas striker Petar Musa in the race for the MLS Golden Boot, which he won last season.

Messi also captained Argentina to this year's World Cup final, where they lost to Spain.