For three days, there was a football frenzy in Qatar this past week. From December 17 to 19, Qatar’s football canvas had never looked so convincing and engaging. On Thursday, UEFA President addressed the local and international media on his short trip to Qatar, hosts of the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
While taking questions from the media, President Aleksander Ceferin was candid enough to admit that gauging Qatar’s preparations for the World Cup from drawing board meetings in Europe and getting to see all that in Qatar first-hand was a ‘memorable experience’. “I have seen a lot as a FIFA Vice President because it (the preparations) is presented to us at the FIFA Council meetings. But now when you come here and see yourself you are more impressed,” Ceferin said and added: “I think you are ready to host the World Cup tomorrow.”
That statement was not made to make the hosts of the 2022 World Cup look good only in headlines. The UEFA chief, the very next day, joined FIFA President Gianni Infantino to watch the Amir Cup final between arch-rivals Al Sadd and Al Arabi.
The hugely popular football clash - held every year in May but postponed this year to December because of the COVID-19 situation - attracted 20,000 fans at the newly-built Ahmed Bin Ali Stadium, the fourth 2022 World Cup venue completed and delivered by the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy (SC).
A memorable show of pomp and pageantry - carefully managed with social distancing and related heath protocols - regaled flag-waving fans watching the match proceedings at the new venue or the ones glued to their TV screens in the country, region and the rest of the world.
Doha giants Al Sadd impressed with bold tactics on the pitch as did Qatar organisers off it with their colorful show that was headlined by H H the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani along with sports dignitaries like the Asian Football Confederation and the Olympic Council of Asia chiefs.
And a day after the Amir Cup final concluded, Qatar football giants Al Rayyan unveiled World Cup winner with France Laurenct Blanc as their new coach. Blanc, 55, now joins a rich list of top foreign coaches managing football clubs in the country.
Barcelona legend Xavi coaches Al Sadd while Iceland’s Heimir Hallgrímsson manages Al Arabi, the losing finalist of the Amir Cup on Friday. Football in Qatar continues to make the headlines for all the right reasons and the coming 23 months, for football fans it seems, would be just as exciting as the week that just ended.
