Qatar World Cup 2022: inauguration of the stadium where the national team will debut, with an “unexpected Argentine fan”

Doha has the splendor of a brand new apartment. If you focus, you can even smell the fresh paint. Twenty kilometers from the center of this shiny and glowing city, the Lusail Stadium emerges like a large Arab ship. the largest that will have the Qatar 2022 World Cup. The “Jewel of the Desert”, as it has already been baptized, will host the debut of the Argentine national team on November 22 against Saudi Arabia and this Friday had its inauguration.

The excuse to show the world this concrete giant with a capacity of 80,000 people was the final of the Lusail Super Cup between the champion of Saudi Arabia, Al Hilal, led by the Argentine Ramon Diaz, and Zamalek, champion of Egypt. In a country where passions remain at home, the Egyptian fans had the task of showing Qatar the exuberance (and authenticity) of the fan and they dressed the first in white and red.

The merit of Argentina for this final did not go only to Ramón Diaz and Luciano Vietto, the national presence was also felt in the stands with a unexpectedly swollen.

Qatar is a country built on the strength of immigrants. 80% of the population came from countries like Bangladesh, India and Pakistan with its cultural customs and all its passions, even the most curious. Wearing blue and white t-shirts with the number 10 on the back, photos of Messi and Maradona and a classic national songbook, dozens of Bengalis and Indians went to Lusail to make Qatar and the rest of the world understand who they will support World Cup. In the Arabian Peninsula they ensure that this breath of the locals – not so local – will be reproduced at the beginning of the World Cup. That yes, the heart of these sympathizers is disputed: there are not a few who swell for Brazil.

That unexpected passion that comes from South Asia also pulsates in the streets of Doha. It’s rare, but the immigrant who comes from that area is triggered by his homeland nostalgia when he meets an Argentine in Qatar. “In Dhaka (the capital of Bangladesh) we have Argentine flags in our homes and we love Messi,” Ramek says as he drives an Uber to the stadium.

the last quiz

In the construction of this great mass, which began in June 2016 and ended in December 2021, About 11,000 people worked. In just a few months, the stadium has become an icon of the rapid growth of this small Asian peninsula. The large facade of the Lusail appears as an image of the World Cup on several posters and even on the back of 10 riyal banknotes.

In this great general rehearsal for the World Cup, the rigor of the controls at the entrances was glimpsed, with double scanners and searches. From the organization they assure that the stadium was almost complete, even if the figure is questionable, the number was quite close to that of an international level match. The test was fundamental because 10 World Cup matches will be played there: two in Argentina, four more in the group stage, one in the round of 16, one more in the quarterfinals, one in the semifinals and the final.

The pearl of Qatar is approx 20 kilometers north of central Doha and is accessible via the Al Khor highway. The cheapest and most agile way to reach the stadium is the Red Line Metro, which will leave the fans approximately 600 meters from the stadium entrances. With the Hayya Card, the mandatory pass to enter Qatar, you can travel for free on match days.

Dry, arid and hot, Doha transforms its 8 months of summer into a huge pressure cooker with temperatures averaging 40 degrees and humidity beyond imagination. Although the thermometer should drop to around 20 degrees in November, on Friday Lusail activated its cooling system in the stands and on the playing field.

The roof, which accompanies the design inspired by Qatari craftsmanship, is made of a material that protects the stadium from the hot wind typical of the area, prevents desert dust and allows light to enter to grow the grass.

What will happen after the World Cup

For a country that has an area exactly equal to half the province of Tucumán, the eight stadiums with capacity and quality for the World Cup are an excess. That’s why the future of Lusail as a football stadium has its expiration date on the back: December 18, 2022.

After the World Cup final, the country’s authorities plan to redesign the interior to build houses, a school, businesses, medical centers and a community football pitch. On the upper level of the stadium they will use it to create the outdoor terraces.

Ramón Diaz kept the Cup

The Argentine merit of the evening took it Ramón Diaz, technical director of Al Halil of Saudi Arabia, the team that won the Lusail Super Cup after beating the Egyptian Zamalek on penalties (4-1). The 90 minutes ended 1-1 with goals from Odion Ighalo for those led by the Riojans and Ahmed Sayed for the Egyptians.

From the South American side, the Colombian Gustavo Cuéllar and the Peruvian Andrés Carrillo were the owners of the Saudi Arabian team, while the complement ex Racing Luciano Vietto joined the Argentine and the Brazilian Michael Richard de Oliveira.

consulted by ClarioneRamón Diaz said that Lionel Scaloni will find a “spectacular” stadium when the national team face Saudi Arabia and Mexico for the group stage of the World Cup, and highlighted in particular the cooling system that brings the temperature to 21 degrees on the pitch. game.

“Today there were 100 Argentine fans in the stadium and it was a great satisfaction for us. Scaloni will find a stadium full of Argentines and Arabs, who are nearby, and it is wonderful. And Argentina will be one of the candidates. Messi is giving us peace of mind and this time it will be his turn to win“said the technical director of Al Hilal.

The Argentine coach also assured that Scaloni has not yet contacted him to ask for details on football in Saudi Arabia, Argentina’s first rival at the World Cup, but was willing to answer the call if that should happen.