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Xavi Hernández has written an open letter about his career and his time in Qatar, where he currently trains Al Sadd. He talks about his lifestyle in his new home, his future, Raúl González, Barcelona and the next World Cup in 2022.
All of this comes on a significant day for both Qatar and Xavi: the day the fourth stadium to be used in the 2022 World Cup opens. The Al Rayyan Stadium will also host the final of the Emir Cup this Friday, which features Xavi’s Al Sadd.
A letter from Xavi
There are less than two years left until the World Cup will be held in the Middle East and the Arab world for the first time, and the anticipation is really starting to grow here in Qatar. The country is committed to providing an unbeatable spectacle for fans. Witnessing the pace of preparations since I moved here in 2015, on everything from stadiums and accommodations to roads and rail infrastructure, I have every confidence that it will be an incredible World Cup for both the players and the fans.
I moved to Qatar to join Al Sadd and extend my playing career. Moving from Barcelona, my hometown, and a club that I love so much, to start over in a completely new part of the world was a good decision for both me and my family.
At that time my passion for playing was as strong as ever, but deep down I knew that I could no longer contribute as much as I would have liked for a club like Barcelona, where you have to win every week. When I discovered the World Cup project in Qatar talking to friends like Raúl, who had already played here, I was very impressed with what the country wanted to achieve on and off the pitch by hosting the World Cup.
It was a great opportunity for me to continue playing soccer and, at the same time, participate in a bigger project, with the aim of achieving great things off the pitch through the programs that have been brought to achieve a more positive social change. beyond 2022.
When you walk around Doha and meet its people, their passion for football is clear. I really didn’t know what I was going to find when I first moved here as it was a completely new experience for me, leaving Barcelona after 25 years to go to a part of the world with a different culture and traditions. But I must admit that I like almost everything about living in Qatar. The weather is incredible, it is sunny almost every day and it is a very relaxing place to work as the people are very respectful and friendly. It is also a very safe country with a very low crime rate, which makes it a great place to start a family.
Since we moved here, I have been able to spend a lot of quality time with my wife and two young children. Since we usually train at night, I have time to take my daughter to school and then spend the rest of the morning playing with my son. On the weekends, there are many nice things to do. I often go out to eat at one of Doha’s many restaurants, like Lo Spaghetto, which is excellent for Italian food, or Bibo, a Spanish restaurant, to savor home. Also, the beach hotels here are amazing and a great place to relax on the weekends, although recently, with the football season in full swing, I haven’t had much time to enjoy this part of life in Qatar.
Since moving to Qatar, I have also had the opportunity to work with some amazing charities. One of the projects, Generation Amazing, has earned a place in my heart. They use soccer to train and educate young people and teach them important life skills. The program recently celebrated its 10th anniversary and it has been a pleasure to watch it grow to the point that it has already helped more than 500,000 people in ten countries. Some of the projects have included the construction of soccer fields in refugee camps and the establishment of sustainability programs to ensure efficient use of the facilities. I attended the opening ceremonies for facilities like these in Jordan and India and have seen the enormous impact they have on communities.
While I had initially only planned to stay in Qatar to watch my playing career, when I was presented with the opportunity to take over as Al Sadd’s manager, I was excited. My family and I really love Qatar and the way of life here, so it was an excellent opportunity to take the first step in my coaching career and oversee a team with promising players who will likely be part of the Qatari national team in 2022. Having played for Al Sadd, I knew it would be a fantastic place to transition to coach and help develop some of these players.
It took me a while to adjust to my new life as a coach, but I’m really enjoying it. My philosophy is the same as when I was a player: I like to play football with a positive style. As a player I liked to have the ball, maintain possession, go on the attack and create as many chances as possible. I play football based on possession, at a fast pace, and I like my players to understand the importance of playing as a team. Everyone has to defend together and attack together. Above all, players should enjoy playing soccer, and the best way to enjoy it is to have the ball, create many chances and score many goals. This is football for me and this is how I want my players to experience it when they play under me.
We will play against Al Arabi in the final of the Emir Cup. It is the most prestigious competition in Qatar and a tournament that every player here wants to win. It will be the first match to be played at Al Rayyan, one of the eight stadiums that will host the 2022 World Cup matches. The match will be played on December 18, Qatar National Day, and will mark the two-year countdown to final of the World Cup. The stadium will also be at 50 percent capacity, which will be great for the players and should create a good atmosphere and a match to remember after a difficult period for everyone.
In my time here, I have seen that football is developing very well in Qatar. The World Cup project meant that they had to really focus on developing not just first-class facilities and stadiums to host the tournament, but a national team capable of competing on the biggest stage with the best teams in the world. Aspire Academy, which was founded in 2004 to help develop soccer players and other athletes in the country, has been a great success. The new generation of players arriving in Qatar is improving a lot. I can see this improvement with my own players at Al Sadd and it is a privilege to work with them every day and help them gain confidence.
With the current pace of development, and having recently won the AFC Asian Cup, I believe that Qatar can compete very well in its first World Cup in 2022. The culture of football is growing at a tremendous speed here and I believe that the World Cup It will help take them to the next level, not just in Qatar but throughout the Arab world. While later it will be time to take the next step in my career, for now, I am focused on enjoying my time here and making the most of the opportunity to play a small role in Qatar’s exciting journey through 2022.
Source: m.allfootballapp.com
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