Doha, Qatar
Santiago Sanchez Cogedor’s long walk from Spain to Qatar to be in time for the November-December FIFA World Cup has caught the attention of the world and helped him to turn the spotlight on the environmental issues close to his heart and also the strong message he wants to send to the world wide football fans throughout his long and demanding journey.
The 41-year-old Real Madrid fan has already covered over 4,000 kilometres in the past eight months and is set to reach Qatar’s capital Doha in time for the football showpiece event.
The Spanish environmentalist, who covers an average of 16 kilometres, is hoping that Spain will be able to hold aloft the Jules Rimet trophy at the Lusail Stadium on December 18 with their Tiki-Taka brand of football.
“I would like to see new places, meet new people, learn about different cultures and make new friendships and hopefully see Spain win the World Cup,” said Cogedor, who has travelled to 60 countries before embarking on his walking journey to Qatar.
For the record, Spain won the first and only World Cup 12 years back in South Africa and also, the first time the team had reached the final.
The football world does not need any introduction to the Spanish brand of football of Tiki Taka. Brazil may hold the distinction of exporting a large chunk of players to foreign lands for different leagues but when it comes to coaches’ no one can beat the Spanish coaching factory.
The likes of Cogedor and other Spanish fans heading to Qatar for the World Cup will be looking to Luis Enrique and his boys to give an exemplary display and emerge on top with their Tiki Taka football.
But mind you the Spanish brand of football and its influence will not be confined to the Iberian country but shades of it will be visible when Qatar and Belgium take the field, guided by their Spanish-born coaches.
Hosts Qatar has Felix Sanchez at the helm of affairs, the first one from Spain to coach the hosts country. Elsewhere, Belgium will also have a Spaniard influence in the form of coach Roberto Martínez.
The Spanish writ on Qatar football runs deep with Ivan Bravo as Director General of the state-of-the-art Aspire Academy and is also the Technical Director of the Qatar Football Association.
Prior to joining the Aspire Academy, Bravo was Director of Strategy at Real Madrid CF, one of the world’s most accomplished sports institutions.
Incidentally, Felix graduated to the senior team coach position having come through the ranks after coaching the age group teams of Qatar. With the Aspire Academy serving as a supply line of players for various age groups, Felix along with his other Spanish assistants have been training children from the age of five over the years.
With every level of the coaching layer manned by the Spanish coaches, Qatar system is ensuring that the children know the type and style that is expected from them on the football field.
Besides Spain, three Argentine-born coaches will be guiding the fortunes of different countries at the World Cup. Homegrown Lionel Scaloni will guide Argentina in Qatar while Gustavo Alfaro will be sitting on the Ecuador bench, and Gerardo Martino guiding Mexico's fortunes.
Two Englishman are among the 32 heading to Qatar with Gareth Southgate holding the reins of England and John Herdman of Canada.
Of the two Frenchman, Saudi Arabia has Hervé Renard while Didier Deschamps, who already has won the cup as a player and coach once, will be aiming to win a third one with France in Qatar.
The two Portuguese coaches in Qatar will be Portugal’s Fernando Santos and Korea Republic's Paulo Bento.
