The Qatar 2022 World Cup bid committee has named two former World Cup stars, Argentina’s Gabriel Omar Batistuta and Holland’s Ronald de Boer, as new bid ambassadors.
Batistuta is the all-time leading goal-scorer for Argentina and represented his country at three World Cup finals, while de Boer played in two World Cup finals for the Netherlands and won the UEFA Champions League in a sparkling club career.
Both players also played for clubs in Qatar. Commenting on his appointment, Batistuta said: “It is a great pleasure for me to take on this important role as bid ambassador for the Qatar 2022 Bid, which I believe represents an essential expansion of the FIFA ideals to a new part of the world.
"Having played in USA in 1994, in France in 1998, as well as the 2002 World Cup in Korea and Japan – the first on the Asian continent – I have witnessed the excitement and passion unleashed in those different parts of the world.
"From my playing experience in Qatar I know that it is a country and a region which will host a spectacular and passionate World Cup in 2022. It is this message which I want to bring to the world in this exciting new role: here is an exciting new football market waiting to be uncovered.”
De Boer said: “It is a great honour for me to be appointed as a member of such an exciting and innovative bid. I truly believe it is time for the World Cup to come to the Middle East for the first time ever, so I am thrilled to be asked to become an ambassador for this campaign.
"I believe this is a historic opportunity for the country where I played four years of my professional career and the rest of the world to unite in a peaceful and family-orientated celebration of football, and this is the message I will be bringing in my new role over the coming 12 months.”
He added: “Judging from my experience playing at World Cup finals and other top events – and from my experience living in Qatar for more than five years – I believe Qatar has all the qualities to host a fantastic and unforgettable World Cup.
"The country has the outstanding sporting facilities needed to host the world’s greatest football tournament, the region-wide passion for the game, and it brings to the mix an exceptionally hospitable nature which has made me decide to stay on in Qatar even after my playing career finished.”
Source:goal.com/
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