At the outset of the AFC Asian Cup, Qatar’s football team was ranked 93rd in the world.
But after an almost flawless month-long tournament, Qatari players brought home their first major trophy.
All the more remarkable because their matches were played in the United Arab Emirates.
As one of the four countries that has imposed a 20-month blockade of Qatar, fans were banned from travelling there to cheer their team on. And the players endured outright hostility on the pitch.
Will the victory ease or exacerbate tensions in the Gulf?
Presenter: Martine Dennis
Guests:
Mahfoud Amara – Head of the sports science programme at Qatar University; author of Sport, Politics and Society in the Arab World
James Dorsey – Senior fellow at S Rajaratnam School of International Studies; author of The Turbulent World of Middle East Soccer
Rob Harris – International sports journalist
Source: Al Jazeera News
