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).
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.