Competitions like U23 Asian Cup are critical to a player’s growth: Al Haydos
The Peninsula
Doha, Qatar: With the AFC U23 Asian Cup Qatar 2024 underway, Qatar s legendary captain Hassan Al Haydos spoke about the importance of youth tournament...
Doha, Qatar: With the AFC U23 Asian Cup Qatar 2024 underway, Qatar’s legendary captain Hassan Al Haydos spoke about the importance of youth tournaments in the development of football talent. The talismanic striker made his mark on Qatar’s football scene when he debuted for Qatar’s U23 side in 2007, scoring a goal off the bench.
“Youth tournaments are where players get a real sense of what it means to play for their country. Competitions like the under-23 Asian Cup are critical to a player’s growth. Young players are challenged to play at a higher level, implement new tactics and push themselves to achieve something for their country,” said Al Haydos, who recently retired from international football after a career that saw him lift the AFC Asian Cup twice.
The AFC U23 Asian Cup Qatar 2024 will see 16 of the best under-23 teams compete for the 6th edition of the tournament. The top three teams will qualify automatically to the 2024 Summer Olympics, while the fourth-place team will take on an African team for a coveted spot at the Paris games.
“It was a dream of mine to represent Qatar at the Olympics. Sadly, I never qualified but I hope that this team will be able to make the most out of the tournament being played on home soil and book a spot for Paris. It’s a dream for any player to represent their country at the Olympic games,” added Al Haydos, who continues to play for Qatar Stars League side Al Sadd SC.
Recently, Al Haydos led Qatar to a second consecutive AFC Asian Cup, bring an illustrious international career to an end. The talismanic played a total of 183 matches for the national team, scoring 41 goals along the way. Most notably, Al Haydos played for Qatar in front of a home crowd during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.
