This 2022 will be special for all football lovers. As it happens every four years, it's time to experience a new edition of the FIFA World Cup. And perhaps like never before since Lionel Messi became one of the best players of all time, the Argentine team will step on Qatar as one of the favorites to win the trophy.
After the draw in Guayaquil against Ecuador for the last date of the South American Qualifiers, a large part of the players playing in Europe -except Messi, Di María and Paredes-, together with the technical staff and managers of the AFA traveled on the same charter to Madrid. The players got off there to leave for their clubs and the rest continued on their way to Doha, the venue of the World Cup draw.
Beyond being present at the event that defined the rivals of the Albiceleste group stage, Lionel Scaloni together with his assistants and President Claudio Tapia will stay until Wednesday, April 6, in the Middle East to polish the details related to their stay in the concentration bunker during the World Cup: the campus of the University of Qatar, designated as the best educational establishment in the country and one of the best in Asia.
In the run-up to the match against Venezuela at La Bombonera, the Argentine coach himself had referred to the venue where the national team will live in Qatar and stressed that the choice was related to being in a place that offers the comfort of being able to train and rest in the same space.
“What really interests me is that we are in one place and we can train and sleep in the same place. Don't grab a bus, go back and forth. That whole journey doesn't convince me. I don't care if there are ten points or eight points in the place to sleep, I don't care. I know it will be a good place in the end, but what worries me is the issue of displacement. That we are there, that we finish training and that the player if he wants to stay there. Not waiting for the bus to leave in ten minutes because you have to do one thing or another. These are things that I think were clear and in the end I think we did it,” the coach reflected.
The University of Qatar, which hosts more than 20,000 students per year, has everything necessary for footballers and the rest of the delegation to spend their days in the World Cup country in the best comfort. What's more, the stage has two courts renovated by the event organization that have lighting, so that Scaloni can practice in the afternoon and evening hours, due to the high temperatures of the place.
That place was chosen by Liverpool to train during their participation in the 2019 Club World Cup, which ended with Jürgen Klopp's as world champions after beating Jorge Jesus' Flamengo.
Another information that this medium accessed is that, as happened in the face of the 2014 World Cup with the concentration of Atlético Mineiro in Cidade do Galo, or with the Bronnitsy complex for the Russian World Cup, the Argentine Football Association would invest a significant sum of money to prepare the facilities and give it a “touch” argentino” to the place in order for the footballers, the coaching staff and the staff to feel as if they were on the same premises as Ezeiza.
For that, one of the measures would be to install some grills to be able to enjoy a good roast with Argentine meat. There would also be the classic plottos in the area of the footballers' rooms. It should be remembered that FIFA has not yet confirmed whether the list of players to be confirmed by coaches will be 23 or will it be stretched to 26, which would establish new regulations for national teams.
Regarding the times from the assembly area to the stadiums, the organization established that the creation of the World Cup Stadiums should be within a radius of about 75 kilometers to save time in moving the campuses. The Albiceleste bunker is connected to the centre of Doha by the Red Line of the metro, which has its own station at the University.
To establish a distance parameter, from the academic center to the stadium where the World Cup final will be played, the Lusail, is about 17 minutes away by bus.
History marks that the university was founded in 1971 and, over time, it became a site of educational excellence in the territory. It offers a wide range of academic programs: 48 bachelor's degrees, 32 master's degrees and nine doctorates.
A few years ago, the educational site carried out the construction of a high-tech sports and event complex of 25,500 square meters. With a collaborative design of the retractable roof system, a sound reinforcement system and video plus lighting, the space offers all possibilities for users. In the case of sports use, the training center consists of more than 30 sports courts that can be fixed and removable portable for different disciplines such as volleyball, basketball, indoor tennis, handball, futsal, badminton, squash.
In addition, the complex has an outdoor space where a football stadium for 10,000 people stands out, which became one of the additional venues proposed to host the 2027 Asian Cup of Nations, which Qatar hopes to access as a venue after the organization of the FIFA World Cup. It is planned to be renewed so that it has the requirements to take part in the group stage matches of the event.
Following the tournament, the new stadium of the University of Qatar will provide ultra-modern and high-level facilities for future university sports initiatives and for the development of women's football. The single-level court would have 20,600 seats for the public, as well as VIP and media seats. The gross capacity of the stadium will be 22,400 seats, which includes 150 seats accessible to spectators with disabilities and the same number for their companions.
The remaining spaces consist of an aquatic complex and three tennis courts. The aquatic complex includes two swimming pools, an important weight room and the sauna and jacuzzi areas.
It is important to note that the organization of the World Cup in Qatar confirmed that there will be 41 training camps created for those selected and each national team will have its own facilities dedicated to their training during the competition. Moreover, the turf installed in these places will be the same one that was installed in each of the eight stadiums hosting the World Cup.
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