The exhibition World of Soccer (World of Football in English) awaits fans who travel to Qatar for the 2022 World Cup, an exhibition that collects the history of the beautiful game from its origins to precisely the celebration of the first world championship in an Arab country as a reminder of the power that has this sport to “bring people together”.
This was reported in a statement published by the organization Qatar Creates, responsible for the cultural promotion and creative industries of the Arab country, who pointed out that the exhibition, already inaugurated, will be on display until April 1 at the Olympic Museum facilities. and Deportivo 3-2-1 Qatar, one of the cultural jewels that travelers passing through Doha during the World Cup can visit.
The shirt that Diego Maradona wore at the 1986 World Cup in Mexico, when he scored his famous “hand of God” and “goal of the century” goals against England on his way to becoming world champion with Argentina, is one of the “ jewels” that can be seen in this exhibition, along with a ball that was used in the first World Cup in Uruguay in 1930 or a bronze bust of Pelé’s right foot.
“Our exhibition will be a unique experience for visitors of all ages and backgrounds, not just football fans. It will also show how inclusion in any sport plays a key role in bringing people together and bridging the gap,” museum president Mohamed bin Abdulla al Thani said in the statement.
The exhibition is inspired by the structure of a football match, with “two halves”: the first is called “Football for all, all for football”, which examines the striking global aspect of football.
The second half is “The Road to Doha”, which runs from the first matches of the 1930 FIFA Men’s World Cup to the final of this year’s tournament, which will take place at Lusail Stadium on December 18, 2022.
A section, called “Extra time, the story continues” will grow throughout the tournament and new objects such as balls, scarves, posters, or other official elements of the championship will be added there.
The director of the Museum, Abdulla al Mulla, insisted on the idea behind the exhibition that seeks to remember that “football is the most popular sport in the world, and this exhibition will give visitors the opportunity to learn more about how sports, especially football, play a key role in bringing people from such diverse backgrounds together.”
The exhibition is curated by sports history consultant Andrew Pearce, who has already developed the National Football Museum in Manchester (United Kingdom), who indicated that the exhibition is aimed “not only at sports fans, but at the general public. Impressive items from football history will be on display, many of which are being shown for the first time.
“Visitors will be able to relive the greatest moments in the history of this sport, while exploring how football and sports permeate other cultural areas,” he added.
