Touching farewell to the ultimate star

It was perhaps the biggest, and most passionate crowd that had ever assembled at the sprawling Zayed Sports City Stadium.

Almost two hours before the kick-off of for the Adnan Al Talyani testimonial match between Italian giants Juventus and and All Stars XI, every space in the stadium had been occupied. The UAE and its large band of football fans had done their bit to say 'Goodbye and Thank You' to one of the greatest sporting stars the country has produced. And when the star himself stepped onto the floodlit-drenched turf Adnan Al Talyani had to fight hard to hold back his tears.

The massive outpouring of love, support and adulation put him in an emotional spot. Though, Adnan managed to hold control of his emotions before the match, he just could not after the 90-minute football feast and surrendered to the occasion.

Tears rolled down his cheeks as he did one final lap of honour around a stadium that will always hold great memories for him. Then, in a rare heart-wrenching gesture the many thousands of fans in the stadium rose and gave him a standing ovation reserved only for sporting heroes that Al Talyani is. It was indeed a memorable and touching farewell.

Adnan might have made his last appearance in his football playing kit. But the star, who had enthralled the UAE football supporters for nearly two decades, will not forget the manner in which his fans and countrymen said adieu.

A gentleman to the core both on and off the field, it was a truly fitting farewell. Adnan had not earned a single red card in his playing career and in fact he is probably one of the only players who has never missed a training session when doing duty for the UAE national team. Even on the days he was unwell or injured he used to be present at the training arena. Such was his charisma on and off the field that yesterday's attendance of nearly 60,000 fans was a fitting tribute to the UAE's ultimate star.

Earlier, the packed stadium cheered and applauded as the 35 international football stars who had assembled here to participate in Adnan's testimonial match, provided a soccer feast that will dominate coffee-shop talk for weeks to come.

While two of the international football stars, the clean-shaven George Weah of Al Jazira Club and Al Ain's current coach Bruno Metsu received a massive cheer from the crowd, Gabriel Batistuta of the All Stars and Alessandro Del Piero were equally popular from among the foreign players on view. But Mohsin Mussabah, the former UAE goalkeeper who was Adnan's colleague in many matches, did not want to lag behind with his display in a match that dished out six goals. While the six goals were a good farewell to a forward of the stature of Adnan, Mohsin did say it in his own way - by saving a penalty off Marco Divaio of Juventus.

During the break Brazilian star Ronaldo's wife Milene Domingues held the fans' attention with a brilliant display of ball control and juggling skill. She went around the stadium juggling the ball and later revealed quite a few tricks which had the crowd cheering for more. In another gesture, Meline went to the section where there were female football fans and gave them the ball which she had used to display her exemplary skills.

Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Information and Culture along with Asian Football Confederation President Mohammed bin Hammam and Sheikh Hazza bin Zayed Al Nahyan were introduced to the players before the match.