ðə jˌuːˈɛs mˌæɡɐzˈiːn ɛskwˈaɪɚ tʃˈoʊz hˌɪm æz ðə bˈɛst ˌɪntɚnˈæʃənəl plˈeɪɚ fɔːɹ tˈiːmz ɪnðə mˈɪdəl ˈiːst ænd nˈɔːɹθ ˈæfɹɪkə ɪnðə fˈɜːst dˈɛkeɪd ʌvðə mɪlˈɛniəm tˈuː θˈaʊzənd tˈuː θˈaʊzənd nˈaɪn.
The US magazine Esquire chose him as the best international player for teams in the Middle East and North Africa in the first decade of the millennium (2000 - 2009).