Issue 7 - Qatar Olympic Committee

ISSUE 7 NEWS
DOHA
AWAITS
CLASSIC
ENCOUNTER
Doha has been pencilled in as the venue for
a classic friendly match between Brazil and
England, promoted by Qatari broadcasters
Al Jazeera.
Qatar Football Association General
Secretary Saud Al Mohannadi revealed that
plans for the friendly, set for November 14,
have been in place for some time.
The match, however, is dependent on
England finishing top of their World Cup
qualifying group so avoiding a play-off
game for second place teams scheduled for
that date.
“The game will indeed be held in Doha
in November,” Al Mohannadi confirmed.
“Al Jazeera Sports Channel is in charge of
this game and they have been planning it
for a while.
“The role of the Qatar FA is to coordinate
with the Al Jazeera channel
regarding the venue of the match and the
training schedules and stadiums.”
The match is likely to be staged in
Doha’s 50,000 capacity Khalifa Stadium,
the main venue for the 2006 Asian Games,
and is sure to attract a full house to see two
of the game’s most iconic national teams
in action.
The 23rd meeting between the two
national teams is a return match promised
by the English Football Association to their
Brazilian counterparts for the appearance
of the five-time world champions at the
launch of the new Wembley Stadium
in 2007. That match ended in a 1-1 draw,
but the classic status of England versus
Brazil matches has much deeper roots in
an unforgettable match-up between the
Pele and Bobby Moore
embrace after the World
Cup classic between Brazil
and England in 1970.
two countries at the 1970 World Cup in
Mexico. The famous encounter between
Brazilian attacking flair, embodied by the
great Pele and courageous English defence,
personified by Bobby Moore, resulted in a
1-0 victory for the South Americans and a
lasting mutual respect.
More recently, the passion of the English
Premier League and the brilliance of Brazil’s
footballing exports, have added lustre to the
reputations of both national teams.
Qatari fans are more than familiar with
names like Kaka, Beckham, Robinho,
Rooney, Pato and Gerrard - and can look
forward to a feast of football in November.
Although not billed as a promotion for
Qatar’s bid to host the 2022 World Cup, the
match will provide another opportunity for
Qatar to showcase its world-class facilities
and event management skills.
The Qatar World Cup 2022 Bid
Committee, headed by Sheikh Mohammed
Bin Hamad Bin Khalifa Al-Thani, son of
the Emir of Qatar, unveiled the bid logo
in May and the bid proper campaign is
expected to get underway this September.
ISSUE 7 QATARSPORT 5