Football Culture Grows Up
Jassim Albuainain, Qatar
My name is Jassim Albuainain. I was born in Qatar in 1985. I started playing football at a very young age and I used to play with my friends in the neighbourhood. When I got older, I joined Al-Rayyan football club and played for a couple of years. Today, football is still one of my hobbies and I am still playing with my friends every weekend.
Currently I work in the Ministry of Culture and Sports in the Libraries Department, and my personal job is in photography. Photography is also one of my hobbies and I consider myself as a photographer. I often take photos of athletes and the Qatari football league. Sometimes I take photos of foreign football leagues as well. I worked as a photographer for Al-Rayyan SC for 3 years.
What did you try to show with the photos? Was there any wider meaning with the photos?
I wanted to show the sporting aspect of my country and show some of our sports landmarks and stadiums where the World Cup will take place. As a photographer my camera is always by my side and I normally take pictures of my friends. I also love to take photos of children playing football and capturing the moment of victory.
What is your favourite photo? Why?
My personal favorite shows a special stadium in the country, Khalifa International Stadium. This stadium is next to sports facilities which will benefit everyone. Also, this is the first stadium completed in Qatar where the World Cup will take place.
Are there any good stories connected with the people or teams you photographed?
Xavi, the professional football player, joined the Qatari football league. The league is moving in a positive direction, and Xavi is a role model to football players in Qatar. Personally, I am a fan of Xavi because I admire his football skills.
What changes are happening in Qatari football culture?
Football is the most popular sport in Qatar. Every year the football culture in our country develops and we now have a professional league, where we have our professional well-known football players. Women’s football culture exists in Qatar and has improved, there are teams that plays matches at Qatar University or Aspire Academy.
What is the most surprising or interesting part of Qatari football culture?
When Qatar won the Asian Cup, it had a huge impact on people who supported the team. And now we trust the Qatari team will play well in the World Cup. They are preparing the Qatari football team to compete well in the World Cup. Our goal is to compete with the strongest teams that won the previous World Cups.
What will be the biggest impact of the World Cup in 2022?
People from all over the world will be visiting the state of Qatar, and one of the benefits is that there will be economic and environmental growth. The football stadiums that have been built are high quality.
What is the future for football in Qatar?
The future for Qatari football is participating in the World Cup and that will benefit the whole country.
