Sports legends' memories kept alive at new Qatar museum

By Yunus Kaymaz

DOHA, Qatar (AA) - One of the world’s largest sports museums, the 3-2-1 Qatar Olympic and Sports Museum is a popular place for football fans to visit in between matches during the ongoing 2022 FIFA World Cup.

Opened just this March, the museum spanning nearly 19,000 square meters (204,000 square feet), located conveniently near Khalifa International Stadium, one of the Gulf country’s World Cup venues, boasts a remarkable collection of memorabilia from legendary athletes.

It has seven gallery spaces to house special items from the world of sports.

At least 150,000 people have so far visited the museum, which includes special items such as the ball used at the very first World Cup, in 1930, and an Argentina jersey worn by legendary forward Diego Armando Maradona in the 1986 World Cup.

Maradona, who died in 2020, had this jersey on when he scored twice – including his famous "Hand of God" goal – against England in the 1986 quarterfinals.

Football fans can also view an autographed jersey once worn by Brazilian legend and three-time world champion Pele.

The museum also has the ball that Pele used to score his 1,000th goal during the 1969 Santos vs. Vasco da Gama match and the boots he wore in the 1970 World Cup final, when Brazil beat Italy 4-1.

In addition, former French midfielder Zinedine Zidane's autographed 1998 France jersey, when France secured a World Cup title for the first time, is also on display.

Jerseys worn by famed football stars Cristiano Ronaldo, Xavi, Gerd Muller, Samuel Eto'o, and David Beckham can also be seen.

In a separate gallery, fans can see items from the Olympics, items including torches of winter and summer games since 1936, medals, badges, and mascots.

Visitors have a chance to see the gloves boxing great Muhammad Ali wore in 1964 when he won his first heavyweight title, Formula 1 champion Michael Schumacher's Ferrari car from 2000, basketball legend Michael Jordan's Chicago Bulls jersey, former Olympic Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt's autographed running shoes, as well as three-time Turkish Olympic champion Naim Suleymanoglu's weightlifting singlet.

A Ballon d'Or award earned by Argentine football superstar Lionel Messi can also be seen in the museum.

Messi, 35, who is still an active player for the Argentina national team and Paris Saint-Germain, won the Ballon d'Or a full seven times, in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2019, and 2021.

- 'Exciting museum'

Scheherazade Gaffoor, a football fan from South Africa, told Anadolu Agency that the museum is "exciting,” and that she enjoyed her visit.

"I just love this museum. I think it is such an amazing development for Qatar," Gaffoor said.

"Because a lot of people think the region is new to football. They don't know much about it. But then you come to the museum and you see here that actually there is a long history and stories to tell."

Gaffoor said she especially liked the museum’s football section, saying: “Because it is new, it is different, and it gives some background. You go to the games at the World Cup but then you don't know the back story or how it all started, how it all began. Then to come here as a South African to see things mentioned about South Africa is very exciting.”

Nacho Alanso Alasino, wearing an Argentina shirt during his visit, said that he loves football and the spirit of the game.

"There is a very special shirt here (Maradona’s). We don't know where the shirt of Maradona was going. Now it’s in private hands but hopefully one day it can be seen publicly," he added.