I have played at football’s finest stadiums including the Bernabeu, San Siro, Camp Nou and Old Trafford.
They are among the best and the biggest, but when I’m asked about the great venues I’ve played in around the world, I also mention one of the smaller ones, Anfield.
I’ll never forget my first trip there in 2002. The coach taking the Manchester United team came off the motorway after the 40-minute trip from Manchester.
It’s a journey the players will make before Sunday’s Premier League game. Usually, we stayed in hotels close to the away grounds, but not before Liverpool, when we stayed in Manchester as it’s so close.
It’s probably not a great idea for Manchester United players to stay in Liverpool either.
Also from Diego Forlan:
Bara, Messi and Lewandowski are in – my end-of-year awards from 2015
Exiting Champions League hurts, but it can help Manchester United
When we arrived in Liverpool, we were met by police motorcycles and we were soon being escorted along grey streets with small terraced houses. I couldn’t believe that a world famous football ground would be surrounded by these little houses. I’d soon learn that there wasn’t one football ground there, but two.
Fans realised who we were and Liverpool’s fans weren’t exactly pleased to see us. Some made signals.
Of the United players, the Manchester boys like Gary Neville were the ones living the rivalry most.
Nev made it clear that Liverpool were our main rivals, that we had to win, that a draw wouldn’t be acceptable.
He was the one who got the most abuse from Liverpool fans, just like Jamie Carragher and Steve Gerrard – two scousers – got the same from United fans.
The rivalry was the biggest in England because Manchester City weren’t the team that they are now.
Chelsea and Arsenal would have great teams, but United and Liverpool were the two biggest clubs, the great red rivals from north-west England.
We passed Everton’s Goodison Park home and then saw Anfield. It reminded me of Independiente and Racing in Buenos Aires, two big neighbours side by side and wearing the same colours more or less.
I had heard of Liverpool as a kid in Uruguay and watched them on Channel 5. Players such as Ian Rush, John Barnes, Kenny Dalglish and, in later years, I remember Patrick Berger.
It was always exciting watching the Premier League games because you didn’t know what was going to happen, the games were less predictable than in other countries. It’s the same today.
We have a Liverpool FC here in Montevideo, too. They’re a small club in the first division, a good club with a solid reputation and a great pitch.
They took the name Liverpool in 1919 because there were links between the ports of Montevideo and Liverpool – where the coal came from by sea.
They wear blue and black, though. At the main market in Montevideo, there is a sign which shows the steel was made by a company from Liverpool.
As we got close to Anfield and crowds filled the streets, our coach turned through metal gates with You'll Never Walk Alone above them.
We disembarked to boos, then went into the small dressing rooms. On the way to the pitch, I saw Liverpool players try to touch the ‘This is Anfield’ sign. None of us did.
The stadium was like a box inside, with fans close. Hearing You'll Never Walk Alone and seeing all the supporters waving their scarves and flags on the Kop was incredible, but I was there to win a football match and not listen to the singing.
Of course the fans don’t like United players, but the Kop applauded our goalkeeper and I remember fans laughing when I went flying over an advertising hoarding.
It is a difficult ground to play at because the pitch is small and that restricts the space which forwards need. It feels even smaller because the stands are so close.
Another reason that I mention Anfield when people ask me about great football grounds is because I always did well there.
I scored two goals in my first game there as United beat Liverpool 2-1. People still ask me about that day and I still hear United fans singing about it when I watch the team on television.
I also started in the game a year later. I think Alex Ferguson wanted two more goals from me.
We did win 2-1 again, but this time with Ryan Giggs scoring two. He felt the rivalry because he was a Manchester boy, but he was quieter about it than Gary Neville.
I also went back to Anfield with Atletico Madrid and scored the goal which knocked them out of the 2010 Europa League and put us into the final.
After the game, the Liverpool fans in the main stand applauded me. That was a big gesture as I’d not only played for United, but I’d just ended their European dream in the semi-final.
United play at Anfield on Sunday and I’ll watch it again, one of the great games in world football in which I was fortunate to play.
They have both had problems this seasons and it’s rare that both of these clubs are out of the top four when they meet.
Neither can really afford to lose. It should make for a great game.
sports@thenational.ae
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Tenet
Director: Christopher Nolan
Stars: John David Washington, Robert Pattinson, Elizabeth Debicki, Dimple Kapadia, Michael Caine, Kenneth Branagh
Rating: 5/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Nancy 9 (Hassa Beek)
Nancy Ajram
(In2Musica)
KEY%20DATES%20IN%20AMAZON'S%20HISTORY
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What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
About Takalam
Date started: early 2020
Founders: Khawla Hammad and Inas Abu Shashieh
Based: Abu Dhabi
Sector: HealthTech and wellness
Number of staff: 4
Funding to date: Bootstrapped
Dubai Bling season three
Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed
Rating: 1/5
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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China
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UAE
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Japan
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Norway
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Canada
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Singapore
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Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
ESSENTIALS
The flights
Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh via Yangon from Dh2,700 return including taxes. Cambodia Bayon Airlines and Cambodia Angkor Air offer return flights from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap from Dh250 return including taxes. The flight takes about 45 minutes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Raffles Le Royal in Phnom Penh cost from $225 (Dh826) per night including taxes. Rooms at the Grand Hotel d'Angkor cost from $261 (Dh960) per night including taxes.
The tours
A cyclo architecture tour of Phnom Penh costs from $20 (Dh75) per person for about three hours, with Khmer Architecture Tours. Tailor-made tours of all of Cambodia, or sites like Angkor alone, can be arranged by About Asia Travel. Emirates Holidays also offers packages.
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
Cricket World Cup League 2
UAE squad
Rahul Chopra (captain), Aayan Afzal Khan, Ali Naseer, Aryansh Sharma, Basil Hameed, Dhruv Parashar, Junaid Siddique, Muhammad Farooq, Muhammad Jawadullah, Muhammad Waseem, Omid Rahman, Rahul Bhatia, Tanish Suri, Vishnu Sukumaran, Vriitya Aravind
Fixtures
Friday, November 1 – Oman v UAE
Sunday, November 3 – UAE v Netherlands
Thursday, November 7 – UAE v Oman
Saturday, November 9 – Netherlands v UAE
The Perfect Couple
Starring: Nicole Kidman, Liev Schreiber, Jack Reynor
Creator: Jenna Lamia
Rating: 3/5
How to vote in the UAE
1) Download your ballot https://www.fvap.gov/
2) Take it to the US Embassy
3) Deadline is October 15
4) The embassy will ensure all ballots reach the US in time for the November 3 poll
Know your Camel lingo
The bairaq is a competition for the best herd of 50 camels, named for the banner its winner takes home
Namoos - a word of congratulations reserved for falconry competitions, camel races and camel pageants. It best translates as 'the pride of victory' - and for competitors, it is priceless
Asayel camels - sleek, short-haired hound-like racers
Majahim - chocolate-brown camels that can grow to weigh two tonnes. They were only valued for milk until camel pageantry took off in the 1990s
Millions Street - the thoroughfare where camels are led and where white 4x4s throng throughout the festival
The specs: 2018 Nissan Patrol Nismo
Price: base / as tested: Dh382,000
Engine: 5.6-litre V8
Gearbox: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 428hp @ 5,800rpm
Torque: 560Nm @ 3,600rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 12.7L / 100km
Honeymoonish
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The biog
Occupation: Key marker and auto electrician
Hometown: Ghazala, Syria
Date of arrival in Abu Dhabi: May 15, 1978
Family: 11 siblings, a wife, three sons and one daughter
Favourite place in UAE: Abu Dhabi
Favourite hobby: I like to do a mix of things, like listening to poetry for example.
Favourite Syrian artist: Sabah Fakhri, a tenor from Aleppo
Favourite food: fresh fish
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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Scoreline
Abu Dhabi Harlequins 17
Jebel Ali Dragons 20
Harlequins Tries: Kinivilliame, Stevenson; Cons: Stevenson 2; Pen: Stevenson
Dragons Tries: Naisau, Fourie; Cons: Love 2; Pens: Love 2
COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Sav%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202021%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounder%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Purvi%20Munot%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dubai%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EIndustry%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20FinTech%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunding%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%24750%2C000%20as%20of%20March%202023%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Angel%20investors%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Movie: Saheb, Biwi aur Gangster 3
Producer: JAR Films
Director: Tigmanshu Dhulia
Cast: Sanjay Dutt, Jimmy Sheirgill, Mahie Gill, Chitrangda Singh, Kabir Bedi
Rating: 3 star
Sting & Shaggy
44/876
(Interscope)
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
MATCH INFO
Leeds United 0
Brighton 1 (Maupay 17')
Man of the match: Ben White (Brighton)