At yesterday’s open training session in Qatar, a sizable audience gathered at the Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium to cheer Al Annabi as they get ready for the FIFA World Cup.
Although the stadium’s gates were set to open at 4 o’clock, hundreds of people arrived at the location earlier to meet their countrymen.
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Some of them were lucky to take selfies with their favourite players ahead of the training session, which started at around 6pm. The atmosphere reached fever pitch once the session started, with fans singing songs to back the national players.
It was after months that Qatar’s fans saw their favourite players in action at a home turf as they were undergoing training camps in Spain and Austria to prepare for the World Cup.
Qatar’s players too were elated to receive the support from home fans, promising their best effort on their World Cup debut.
“Such a support from fans has made us feel proud. We hope they will stand behind us during the World Cup and we promise to give our best and make strong appearance on our debut,” said Qatar captain Hassan Al Haydos.
Qatar’s midfielder Tarek Salman said Qatar’s preparation is on track, adding the matches during the overseas training was beneficial.
“We have been in a long preparation phase since June that included a large number of matches that helped us achieve the desired benefits. I want to thank the fans for attending this session and we hope to live up to their expectations at the World Cup,” he said.
Defender Bassam Al Rawi said the support from fans will be important for Qatar at the World Cup.
“The support we are getting from fans here or on the social media is a huge morale booster for us ahead of the World Cup. We are very excited for the big challenge and preparing to give a strong performance. God willing, we will meet everyone’s expectations,” he said.
For midfielder Assim Madibo, the experience of the open training session was exceptional.
“It’s like a World Cup atmosphere. So many fans cheering for you, frankly, it’s my first experience. It will motivate us to do our best,” the 25-year-old said.
Qatar’s training camp in Doha will continue till Wednesday before the team will return to Spain to give final touches to their preparation.
Qatar will open the World Cup with their Group A match against Ecuador at Al Bayt Stadium on Nov 20. Al Annabi will then play against Senegal on Nov 25 before their final group game against the Netherlands on Nov 29.
