Qatar’s hosting of the World Cup has been a great experience that has surpassed expectations, the Japanese envoy said.
In an interview with The Peninsula, Japan Ambassador to Qatar H E Satoshi Maeda (pictured) described FIFA World Cup 2022 as an “exceptional” tournament.
“This tournament has definitely exceeded all my expectations. ‘The World Cup of firsts’ as they say, it’s the first FIFA World Cup with teams from all continents in the round of 16,” he said.
“At the same time, Japan, Australia and Korea Republic have also made Asian football confederation record for reaching the knockout stages, with Japan winning against two World Cup Champions Germany and Spain. It has certainly been a wonderful journey so far.”
The ambassador also lauded the state-of-the-art stadiums and unmatched public transportation system.
He also praised the diverse cultural experiences that have won over the hearts of football supporters who have travelled to the country to support their teams.
“Throughout the tournament, everything proved to be functional. The compact nature of the tournament has turned it into an exceptional experience that is difficult to be repeated again, especially in light of FIFA’s decision to increase the number of participating teams in the upcoming tournaments.”
He asserted that Qatar’s hosting the biggest sporting event is a “true legacy that will leave on for the future generations.” He added: “I sincerely believe that Qatar should be proud of this achievement, as should be all the Arab countries.”
Meanwhile, on Japan’s departure from the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 at the end of the game against Croatia, Ambassador Maeda said it was “heartbreaking.”
“I watched the game of Team Japan in the round of 16 at Al Janoub stadium. The result was heartbreaking indeed, but I’m proud of them for beating two of the strongest European teams, Germany and Spain, and winning Group E which we called the “group of death,” while almost beating the 2018 finalist, Croatia.”
He said that he is proud of the achievement of Samurai Blue which nobody has predicted. The envoy also stressed that he is confident that the Japanese team will reach the semi-finals in the next World Cup in 2026.
In reference to the Japanese players and supporters who clean the stadiums after his country’s matches, he said: “All Japanese elementary school kids are used to cleaning up their classrooms after school. That’s our long-time tradition and there is no surprise when they do the same thing after football games.”
Ambassador Maeda said he is delighted to see that people applauded the Japanese traditional practice of tidying up. “I believe the Samurai Blue and Japanese supporters managed to leave a very strong and positive impression about Japan during this tournament not only on the pitch but also off the pitch through their actions.”
