David Trezeguet was part of the golden generation of French players that lifted the FIFA World Cup™ on home soil in 1998, before scoring his country's Golden Goal to see them lift the UEFA EURO 2000 trophy two years later. Now the former Juventus and Monaco striker, who has roots in the traditional footballing powerhouses of Europe and South America, believes it is time for a new football region to step up and take the spotlight.
“The organisation I’ve seen in Qatar has been excellent, and it will be something spectacular here in 2022, not just for Qatar but for the whole Arab world,” Trezeguet told www.sc.qa/en/ on a visit to the offices of the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy (SC) in Doha. The projects underway here in a country under constant development are something extraordinary. That’s why it is important for me to be here and give my support to a project which will be unique.”
The Les Bleus legend has already seen some of the world’s best youngsters in action this week at the Al Kass International Cup; a tournament that features some of the top U-17 club sides from across the world, and pointed out that Aspire Academy was creating a pool of talented Qatari players to compete against the best in the world.
“We already have a preview for what the World Cup will look like with the young players in the Al Kass U-17 tournament in Doha," Trezeguet said. "The important thing for Qatar will be to showcase Qatari talents who will be able to demonstrate their footballing qualities. They are doing extraordinary work at the Aspire Academy, but there is still room for improvement as the country’s football continues to develop.”
He may have his roots in South America, having grown up in Buenos Aires, and a long historical link to Europe through France - the country of his birth - and Italy through his years with Juventus, but Trezegol clearly sees a bright future further east.
"Asian football is the future of football," Trezeguet, who spent his final season as a player at Pune City in India, added. "In China they are investing a lot in big players to create football growth, and they will be an example for young players and the next generation.”
“It is an interesting development, and time will tell how well they achieve this objective. Indian football in relation to others is still behind, and football is not yet the most popular sport in India. But they have a big margin of growth. China is mobilising in a great way in football, and I think the future in India can be in the same direction.”