DOHA: Netherlands football legend Ronald de Boer believes Qatar’s hosting of the FIFA World Cup will have a positive impact on the country and region.
The former Ajax, Barcelona and Rangers midfielder had played in two World Cups and is now looking forward to a unique version of the tournament later this year.
De Boer, who wrapped up his playing career with Qatari teams Al Rayyan and Al Shamal, believes the compact tournament concept will also boost players and fans.
Qatar news agency (QNA) reported that de Boer, who is also Qatar Legacy Ambassador, in an interview with Qatar2022.qa, shared his thoughts on Qatar’s preparations, the Netherlands national team and which nation he expects to lift the trophy at Lusail Stadium on 18 December.
He said this World Cup will have huge impact on Qatar, as the host country.
“As Qatar is a relatively small country, I think this World Cup will have an even greater influence compared to previous tournaments.bI think it will have a positive outcome - not only for Qatar but the whole region. It’s the first World Cup in the Middle East and Arab world, so it’s a big moment for football in this part of the world.
“It’s very important. Hosting the World Cup offers a chance for countries to show their culture and answer any misconceptions that people may have. When you look at Qatar, it has also been an opportunity to develop a lot of infrastructure, like new roads and public transport, and even social areas, like workers’ rights.
“These improvements will not only help Qatar - but also other countries in the region. The World Cup has helped to accelerate important changes in the country for the benefit of everyone living and working in Qatar. This has been a positive thing for the country and will be a great legacy for the World Cup,“ the Dutch football legend said.
De Boer also welcomed the logistic preparations in having all the stadiums and training sites located close to one another, saying that this would help in players’ recovery and preparation for the next match, QNA added.
“To be honest, I wish I was still a player, so I could experience this World Cup. When I played in USA ‘94, we had to do a lot of travelling on planes and buses between games. In Qatar, the players will be back at their hotel about an hour after the game. For the players, it will be very convenient and help their recovery and preparation.
“It will also be great for the fans. With everyone in the same place, you will really feel like a major tournament is going on. You will get to meet people from all over the world. We’ve not really seen this at previous World Cups on this scale. I think it will be an amazing experience,” he said.
On what should fans and visitors to Qatar look out for during the World Cup, he pointed out,: “Everyone can expect a warm welcome. When I lived in Qatar, I always appreciated the friendliness of everyone living there and I am sure they will welcome people from all over the world with open arms”.
He added that for fans, it will be an interesting experience as many of them will be travelling to a new region and have the chance to learn about a new culture.
“Being a compact World Cup, fans will have the chance to watch more football than ever before. It will be a shared experience for everyone and I expect it to feel like one big party across the country,” he said.
De Boer was also asked on his hopes for the Netherlands heading into this World Cup. He believed that it is possible for the Netherlands’ team to make it to the last eight.
“And then after that, you need a bit of luck. My prediction is that they can make it as far as the semi-finals, but I hope I am wrong, and they go on to win the World Cup. As a country, we have come close on a few occasions, so it would be great if the Netherlands could finally go all the way,” he was quoted as saying.
He said althought they don’t have superstar players like Kylian Mbappe (France), Lionel Messi (Argentina) or Neymar (Brazil), the team have talented players like Memphis Depay, Frenkie de Jong, Matthijs de Ligt, Virgil van Dijk, and Donyell Malen.
“But to be successful, we will have to approach every game as a team. At big tournaments, if you can come together as a team, you can go very far,” he said.
The Dutch predicted that France will lift the FIFA World Cup 2022.
“I would say France. They have the star quality with a player like Mbappe and have an incredible squad. I think you could make three competitive teams from the group of players they have available to pick from. I would say France, Brazil, Germany and Spain are the four teams most likely to lift the trophy,” de Boer added.-Bernama