DUBAI — Paul Pogba, one of the world’s top football players, has sent Eid greetings to his friends in Dubai and around the world through Dubai Sports Council. “Salaam Alaykum everyone, all my Dubai friends and all the Muslims in the world. Just want to wish you Eid Mabrook to everyone,” Pogba, a regular visitor to Dubai, said in a video message. “And keep training, be fit, and be safe.” Winner of the 2018 World Cup with France, Pogba, 27, plays for English Premier League club Manchester United, who brought him back to England from Italian club Juventus in 2016 for a then-world record transfer fee of €105 million, which is still the highest paid by an English club. Pogba is the latest football star to send out a message to his friends and fans in Dubai and around the world through Dubai Sports Council. He joins a list that includes Barcelona’s Croatian ace Ivan Rakitic, Ream Madrid’s French striker Karim Benzema and Borussia Dortmund’s Achraf Hakimi, who had earlier sent messages in support of Dubai Sports Council’s ‘Be Fit, Be Safe’ campaign, which was launched by the Council following the precautionary restrictions imposed by authorities due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Manchester United legend Ryan Giggs, former Spain international Michel Salgado, rising Portuguese star Joao Felix have also backed the campaign alongside greats like Luis Figo of Portugal, Brazil’s Roberto Carlos, Carles Puyol of Spain, Italy’s Gennaro Gattuso, and Frenchman Nicolas Anelka among many others. The campaign has also received widespread support from the community with experts from the fitness industry and some of UAE’s top sports stars, taking part alongside many others, including mums and dads, and schoolkids, of different nationalities. As part of the campaign, DSC has also linked up with some of the leading brands from UAE’s fitness industry to offer free daily virtual fitness classes, led by certified fitness trainers. The Council has also organized a number of virtual sports events and webinars under the ‘Be Fit, Be Safe’ initiative over the past weeks, including the world’s first ‘Marathon at Home’, and a Virtual Tour Challenge for cycling enthusiasts. — SG