Qatar under-20 team from 1981 appointed World Cup ambassadors

By Duncan Mackay

December 17 – Qatar’s under-20 team that reached the final of the FIFA World Youth Championships in 1981, beating Brazil and England along the way, have been appointed as bid ambassadors for the country’s bid to host the 2022 World Cup, it was announced today.

They join Argentina’s Gabriel Batistuta, Holland’s Ronald De Boer and Saudi Arabia’s Sami Al Jaber in endorsing Qatar’s historic bid for a first-ever World Cup in the Middle East.

Hassan Abdulla Al Thawadi, the chief executive of the Qatar 2022 Bid Committee, said: “The Under-20 team of 1981 achieved astounding results against some of the best nations in the world and, in so doing, became a role model for an entire generation of Qatari football players.

“This is what our bid wants to achieve for children all across the entire Middle East in 2022, giving sporting hope to millions.

“Our new ambassadors will be a great addition to the bid and our plans to bring the World Cup to Qatar and the Middle East region for the very first time.”

The appointment of the Qatari football heroes has been planned on purpose to coincide with the country’s celebration of its National Day.

Al Thawadi said: “We’ve timed the launch of our national ambassadors for our bid to support this illustrious occasion, choosing an elite group of Qatari sportsmen who will join hands with the committee to achieve our objectives.”

“We are a nation that is passionate for football, in a region that is dreaming of hosting the greatest football celebration in the world for the first time ever.

“The success of this team of Qatari football players in 1981 in reaching the final of a FIFA competition shows that we have always placed a great deal of emphasis on youth development and that we believe this is the ideal way to transform the amazing passion for football in this region and to make a difference through the power of sports.”

Al Thawadi pointed to youth developments such as Aspire Academy as demonstrations of how Qatar is fully committed to making a difference for young football players from Qatar and across the Middle East and Asia.

He said: ”We support young football players from all over the world.

“A World Cup in Qatar would have the effect of opening an entirely new region to the FIFA family in 2022.

“These Qatari football players, who enjoy a great deal of respect in our society and beyond, are ideally placed to convey this message to Qatari and Middle Eastern football fans.”

Ibrahim Khalfan, a key player of that squad and whose son Khalfan Ibrahim is now a regular with the Qatar national team, said: ”We are touched by this honour and we will help Qatar’s bid in all possible ways.

“More importantly, it has got us together on a common stage after so long.

“We have been in touch with each other through the phone but never got together.

“It’s indeed a special moment for all of us.”

Qatar were never the favourites going into the group stages but they slowly gained in confidence once they qualified from Group-A behind Uruguay with a 1-0 win against Poland and a 1-1 draw against United States.

Qatar’s only loss in the group stages came against Uruguay, that too by a slim 1-0 margin.

They then beat Brazil 3-2 in memorable quarter-final thanks to a hat-trick from Khalid Salman

Qatar then went on to upset an England side containing future Manchester United star Neil Webb 2-1 in the semi-final at the Sydney Cricket Ground before losing 4-0 to West Germany in the final.

Badir Bilal, who scored one of the goals against England, said: ”It changed things for football in this country completely.

“There was always love for the sport but after that it became a passion.

“And I’m banking on that passion and enthusiasm for the sport to win us the bid. I have travelled to three World Cups, as a part of the ART channel, but believe me none of those countries had the infrastructure that we have here today.

“More importantly, we have it in close proximity, so I feel 90 per cent we are the favourites.”

Al Thawadi said: ”I’m sure they will be great ambassadors for the 2022 bid.

“It’s a pleasure to have their support and help in the coming days.”

Contact the writer of this story at zib.l1735871045labto1735871045ofdlr1735871045owedi1735871045sni@y1735871045akcam1735871045.nacn1735871045ud1735871045.