By Andrew Warshaw
June 7 – The increasing involvement of Qatar in European club football has taken another significant step forward with the takeover by the country’s Aspire Zone Foundation (AZF) – one of the world’s most sophisticated sports facilities – of Belgian Second Division club KAS Eupen.
Last year, Qatar Sports Investments – established in 2005 by Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani, son of the Emir – bought a 70 per cent stake in Paris St Germain, turning the French club into one of the richest in Europe.
Qatar owned Al Jazeera, meanwhile, is rapidly becoming one of the biggest players in the pay-television market.
The takeover of little-known Eupen, however, is designed more as a means to allow Qatari youth football to develop, as well as aiding those in developing countries rather than Qatar, which hosts the World Cup in 2022, becoming a major player on the European stage.
One of main goals of the multi-sport Aspire Zone, a multi-million dollar complex on the outskirts of Doha, is to enhance its “Football Dreams” programme courtesy of a massive talent search across three continents.
Those selected go on a special training course and graduates are henceforth placed with Eupen.
“Qatar has the means and the resources to contribute to development in other countries that don’t have these resources,” Ivan Bravo (pictured below, far right), director general of Qatar’s Aspire Academy, told Reuters.
“Graduates will come to Doha and work with Qatari players.
“We wanted to do something that could help develop Qatari athletes.
“The idea is to find talented football players around the world that would help Qatari players become better players.”
The agreement gives Aspire individuals the chance to play competitively in a professional football environment, ultimately furthering their football careers.
Dr Andreas Bleicher (pictured above, far left), adviser to AZF, added: “It is very clear that with Aspire Football Dreams we have only one goal: the development of football talent.
“We want to help the young players make their dreams come true: being both champions in sport and champions in life.
“Being a professional football player in a club like KAS Eupen is the necessary next step for them to make this vision come to life.”
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