The former Bayern Munich defender believes the Qatar national team will receive good support from neutral supporters at the flagship event …
Former Brazil captain Lucio is no stranger to the World Cups. A veteran of three World Cup campaigns with the Selecao, Lucio had an illustrious career adorned with many covers. He has won the World Cup, Champions League, Confederations Cup, Bundesliga, Serie A and more.
Considered one of the best defenders in the world at his peak, Lucio was one of the key players in the Brazilian squad that won the 2002 World Cup, the very first World Cup to be held on the Asian continent ( South Korea / Japan).
Now the quadrennial extravagance is back in Asia, with Qatar playing the host nation in 2022, and Lucio believes the tournament will be a huge success. The Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy (SC), the organization responsible for hosting the 2022 World Cup, has already unveiled four world-class venues for the tournament, with work progressing as planned in the rest.
More interestingly, the eight venues planned for the 2022 World Cup are located in close proximity to each other, with each stadium within an hour’s journey of another.
Lucio drew on his experiences from 2002 while stressing that the compactness of the Qatar World Cup will be beneficial for players who can avoid the fatigue associated with traveling between venues.
“It was a very different World Cup (2002) because there were two countries hosting it – South Korea and Japan. So there was fatigue caused by travel. But the structure and planning of the Brazilian team was good so that we could have the necessary rest. between games and training ”, he said Goal.
“The 2022 World Cup is now taking place in Qatar. There is comfort for all teams (since they are) closer to hotels, stadiums and training centers. (This) will prevent fatigue and for sure it will help all teams. to be a world champion, you have to have quality and a solid team.
“And this scenario with all the facilities close to each other will make it easier, but it’s not the (main) factor that will decide the world champion,” explained Lucio.
The 2020 Club World Cup, to be held in Qatar in February 2021, is expected to be one of the preparatory tournaments for the 2022 World Cup instead of the traditional Confederations Cup. Lucio, who won the Confederations Cup in 2005 (Germany) and 2009 (South Africa), believes the compact nature will help players get to know Qatar better.
“The Confederations Cup is a short tournament, but all the teams involved took it seriously because it was the preparation for the World Cup. In Qatar, the Club World Cup will be different from Germany and South Africa thanks to the short distances. teams now. “
He went on to say that his former team, Bayern Munich, have an advantage in the 2022 World Cup as they regularly hold their winter training camps in Qatar.
“Bayern have an advantage because they know Qatar and the facilities, but everything will be decided on the pitch. Since when I was a Bayern player, the pre-season preparation was often in Qatar and the United Arab Emirates because they had a very good structure. It is a small advantage to know more than others. These are very important tournaments so it won’t be a significant advantage. “
Lucio also estimated that the Qatar national team, which will make their World Cup debut in 2022, will receive a lot of support from the neutrals. He felt that the footballing credibility of the team would also benefit from a huge boost.
It should be noted that the Maroons, who had a dedicated long-term program to build a team for the World Cup, are currently one of the best teams in Asia. They are also the current Asian Champions, having won the Asian Cup in 2019.
“A team that hosts the World Cup gains confidence and has more credibility and hope, and Qatar will certainly rely on that. Playing at home, Qatar want to leave a good impression. And because of the respect and consideration for the country hosting the World Cup, many people will be supporting Qatar. “
