Almoez Ali: FIFA U-17 World Cup Qatar 2025 to inspire new generation of talented players

Qatar national team star Almoez Ali affirmed Saturday that the FIFA U-17 World Cup Qatar 2025 heralds the emergence of a new generation of young players destined to shine on the global football stage.The State of Qatar will host the tournament's first-ever 48-team edition at the Aspire Zone competition complex, from November 3 to 27, with the final match to be held at Khalifa International Stadium, one of the eight venues that hosted FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 matches.Speaking to the press as the 100-day countdown begins, Qatar's all-time leading scorer stated that participation in the U-17 World Cup offers major motivation for the next generation of players aiming to deliver peak performance in yet another global event hosted on Qatari soil after the 2022 World Cup finals.Almoez, who has scored 60 goals in 123 international appearances for Al Annabi, emphasized that players recognize the significance of this experience for their football futures, and that taking part in a tournament of this global stature yields tremendous benefits and positive outcomes for young players.He added that playing in one of the world's biggest tournaments fosters a sense of discipline and hard work, which reflects in the development of the players' skills and overall performance. The experience also instills pride as they participate in a sporting event that draws global attention.Almoez Ali, a graduate of Aspire Academy, widely recognized as a world-leading institution and a key pillar of Aspire Zone Foundation, was part of Qatar's U-20 youth team composed entirely of Aspire graduates, which won the AFC U-19 Championship in 2014. Since then, Almoez has led the senior national team in two consecutive AFC Asian Cups in 2019 and 2023.Since its launch in 2004, Aspire Academy has produced world and Olympic champions across a range of sports, enriching Qatar's and the global sports landscape, including track and field icon Mutaz Barshim, one of the greatest high jumpers in history.Almoez Ali views hosting the tournament in this iconic venue as recognition of the Academy's achievements and its pivotal role in shaping Qatar's sporting scene.He said that he is proud of his journey as a student and athlete at Aspire Academy, where academics blended seamlessly with football. This environment motivated him to fully commit to football as a career, adding that they played against some of the best teams from Europe, Africa, and South America, and undoubtedly, competing against such elite teams is extremely valuable to them.The tournament draw placed Qatar's U-17 team in Group A alongside Italy, South Africa, and Bolivia. They will begin their campaign against Italy on November 3, aiming to surpass the historic fourth-place finish achieved in the 1991 edition.Qatar is one of six Arab nations that qualified for the tournament, alongside Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Tunisia, and Morocco.Saudi Arabia holds the best Arab result in the tournament's history, having won the championship in 1989.