A heavyweight Asian Cup quarterfinal clash is about to take place, with hosts Qatar facing Iran for the ticket to the final. On the eve of the match, this reporter went into the Aspire Sports United Center in Doha to witness the Qatar team's preparations and was lucky enough to catch Cahill, who is currently the technical director of the Qatar FA, in action.
The Aspire Sports Complex, a 250-hectare sports paradise, is home to world-class stadiums, a sports medicine building and a youth academy. The landmark Aspire Tower, a torch-like structure, and the Khalifa International Stadium, the venue for this year's Asian Cup, are just a few steps away. Not far away, the Hamad Aquatic Center, which will host the 2024 World Swimming Championships, is also attracting global attention.
Looking back to 2019, when Qatar topped the Asian Cup for the first time, the squad featured a number of players such as Akram, Afeef and Emol Ali, all graduates of the Aspire Football Academy. Today, they have grown into the backbone of the Qatar national team. Both Qatar and Saudi Arabia have chosen to train at the Aspire Zone during this year's Asian Cup.
