Former Omani goalie Al Habsi predicts impressive Qatar22

Former Omani goalkeeper Ali Al Habsi is full of expectation for Gulf Nations at the forth coming World in November.

Al Habsi had a successful career for club and country that featured many top competitions, with the notable exception of the FIFA World Cup.

The 2022 tournament in Qatar is set to kick off in less than 100 days and it will be the first event to feature more than one team from the Gulf region, something Al Habsi sees as special and a source of pride.

“We’re proud to see Saudi Arabia and Qatar at the World Cup. I’m proud as a footballer and a sportsman in general. We’ve never seen this before and that shows how football has improved in our region,” he said.

“We’re used to seeing Saudi Arabia at the World Cup; they play good football, and they have some good players who have experience and have shown the self-belief and passion needed to improve,” he added.

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“For me, this edition of the World Cup will be exceptional, not only for Saudi Arabia or Qatar, but for all the Gulf countries, including Oman, the UAE, Bahrain, and Kuwait. For the fans, it will be close to us, and this has already been shown by [the sale of] tickets. Millions of people want to come to Qatar. They know it’s going to be a special edition and we’ve seen this in the stadiums and the country in general. Everything will be perfect.”

The moment Qatar was announced as the 2022 host nation was special for Al-Habsi, who felt immediately confident of the country’s ability to deliver an exceptional edition of the global showpiece.

“I was in a house in Bolton with friends and family. I remember I was playing in the Premier League at the time and the atmosphere was exceptional. Many players and fans were asking what the World Cup would be like in Qatar, and that was 12 years ago. From the moment FIFA made the announcement, we were confident it would be one of the best editions ever,” he explained.