Bengaluru, Doha, March 26: Barcelona great Xavi Hernandez has been named as a global ambassador for the Qatar 2022 World Cup.
The 38-year-old, who currently plies his trade with the Middle East club Al Sadd, will be an ambassador for the organisation "responsible for delivering the infrastructure" for the World Cup.
"I've seen first-hand what football can achieve in communities in Qatar and across the region. Football has the power to unite people, dispel stereotypes and break down social barriers," Xavi was quoted as saying in Qatar 2022 World Cup local organising committee website (sc.qa).
🚨 | Xavi Hernandez have been appointed as the International Ambassador of Qatar for the World Cup 2022. pic.twitter.com/MKLvVOsFUY
— BarcaTimes (@BarcaTimes) March 25, 2018
A World Cup winner with Spain in 2010, Xavi had a 17-year long stellar career with the Catalan giants starting from 1998, winning eight La Liga titles and four UEFA Champions League crowns.
After ending his Barcelona career in 2015, Xavi moved to Qatar and has been with the Al Sadd club since then.
Hassan Al Thawadi, the secretary general of Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy (the organisation responsible for delivering the infrastructure required for the Qatar 2022 World Cup) described Xavi as an iconic player who is committed to harnessing the power of football.
"We're honoured that Xavi is going to continue working closely with us and support the delivery of our legacy programmes," said Al Thawadi.
"It has been a pleasure to collaborate with Xavi in recent years. He is an iconic footballer and a player synonymous with success and fair play. Having a player of his magnitude supporting our initiatives can only help them to grow and leave the impact we desire long after the last ball is kicked in 2022. We truly believe Xavi will help us build bridges across cultures and throughout the region."
Xavi, will help the local organising committee to promote various projects that harness the power of football to bring about positive social change.
In a change from the traditional summer window, the Qatar 2022 World Cup will be held in winter from November 21 to December 18.
The change was made by FIFA bearing in mind the adverse summer temperature that is prevalent in the tiny Middle East country during the months of June and July.