Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa, President of the Asian Football Confederation, praised the outstanding level presented by the Asian teams at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
He expressed his sincere wishes for continued success and excellent results to the teams of Australia, Japan and South Korea, who achieved a historic achievement by leading three Asian teams to the 1/8 finals for the first time in the history of the World Championships.
In a statement released on the Asian Football Confederation’s official website, he said that the Asian football family is behind the three teams together, hoping they will continue to have the best record in Asia since the 2002 World Cup in South Korea and Japan.
The AFC President also praised the outstanding level presented by all six Asian teams in the group stage, including teams that were knocked out in the first round after proud performances against some of the best teams in the world.
And he continued: “We only need to look at the performances submitted by Saudi Arabia and Japan in the first round against Argentina and Germany respectively.
He added: “We also saw the Japanese team do the same against Spain to reserve a round of 16 qualifying ticket for the fourth time and Australia win a second win for the first time in history. participation in the World Cup.
And he added: “The South Korean team was able to overcome the delay and achieve a victory over Portugal in the third round, make a historic achievement by confirming the presence of three Asian teams in the 1/8 finals for the first time, and the South Korean Federation deserves the highest praise for the efforts it is making to develop games at all levels.
He continued, “At the same time, Qatar managed to record a good participation during their first appearance in the World Cup final, and the Iranian team also showed outstanding character by beating Wales in the second round.”
Sheikh Salman said: “The foundation of the Asian Football Confederation’s vision and mission in 2016 was centered on our clear ambition to ensure that our teams have the opportunity and the appropriate environment to compete in world-class tournaments in the Asian Football Confederation. so that they can perform at their best in the most important international tournaments.” And the 2022 World Cup in Qatar was a clear confirmation of the further development of Asian football.
The AFC President also praised the successful conclusion of the group stage competition, expressing his confidence that the tournament will continue to make a significant mark on world football, and said: “The Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy and the authorities of Qatar, together with FIFA, have done an exceptional job so far. » We are confident that they will continue to put on a wonderful celebration as the tournament continues.”