Saeed also said that even at the time it was built in 1976, incidentally the very same year he started his decorated international career spanning 14 years, the iconic arena was synonymous with the beauty of the region, and of Qatar.
The former striker, who scored 78 goals for Iraq and is ranked fifth in the list of world’s all-time scorers in international football, spoke ahead of the Emir Cup 2017 final between Al Rayyan and Al Sadd, which will be the first match to be played at the redeveloped venue.
The stadium is also a proposed venue for the 2022 FIFA World Cup Qatar.
“In 1976, when it was built, the Khalifa International Stadium had all the facilities that footballers of our generation needed,” Saeed said.
Saeed, who is also a former president of the Iraq Football Federation and currently an executive committee member of the West Asian Football Federation, added, “It was an outstanding football monument at the time it was opened.
“But now, after it has been redeveloped and is about to be reopened as one of the proposed venues of the 2022 FIFA World Cup, it will be one of the jewels the entire Arab region can be proud of.”
Saeed looks back on his 14-year international career with great pride – and fondly remembers his goals in the Asian qualifiers for the 1986 FIFA World Cup that enabled his country to seal a berth in Mexico.
Now 59, the legendary striker reminisced about playing at the iconic stadium many times throughout his career – and en route to the 1986 finals.
“In 1976, we took part for the first time in the Gulf Cup tournament and played at the Khalifa Stadium,” he continued. “We faced the Qatar national team there on many occasions such as the World Cup qualifiers and the Olympic qualifiers for Los Angeles 1984 and Seoul 1988. I remember having scored a beautiful goal against Qatar in a qualifier for Seoul, a game where we emerged winners 3-1.”
Saeed ended by saying the stadium’s regional eminence will turn into a pan-Asian one following its reopening tomorrow. “The redeveloped Khalifa Stadium is a venue that all Asian countries could be proud of,” he said.
“It proves that Qatar and the Arab world are capable of building great venues which can host major sporting events. Qatar has already hosted many such big events and will succeed again in 2022.” (SC.qa)
