FIFA selects Omani Ali Al Habsi as part of a team to develop the football calendar

The International Football Association (FIFA) has chosen the former Oman international goalkeeper Ali Al Habsi among a group of former players and coaches who will play an advisory and technical role on the future calendar of the game.

"The situation is unsustainable for the health of the game globally and for the players," FIFA President Gianni Infantino said in a statement carried by the FIFA website.

The members of the advisory team have played more than 300 matches in the World Cup and 3,000 international matches, and their members met in the Qatari capital, Doha, over two days to discuss the challenges on the international calendar.

Al-Habsi's selection came alongside a group of former stars such as the Brazilians Ronaldo and Roberto Carlos, the French Yuri Djorkaeff, the Danish Peter Schmeichel, and the Australian Tim Cahill.

The Omani federation tweeted, "FIFA selects the star Ali Al Habsi among a group of consultants to develop football... confidence in its place for the pride of Omani sports."

This team is headed by the French, Arsene Wenger, director of development at FIFA, and was established after a request from 166 national associations in the 71st FIFA Congress, which saw the request for a feasibility study to organize the World Cup once every two years instead of four.

English-American coach Jill Ellis will make a similar analysis of women's soccer.

Al-Habsi, 39, is considered one of the best goalkeepers in the history of Arab football, and he has worked for a long time in English stadiums with Bolton, Wigan and Reading.

He won the prestigious FA Cup with Wigan in the 2012-2013 season.

"The consultation process begins with representatives, players and coaches, but football revolves around all those involved in it," Infantino said. "We consult players and clubs from all over the world, as well as 211 federations affiliated with FIFA."

"This is democratic: the new FIFA is a democratic organization and we respect all opinions, because it is important to listen to all voices to make a decision and move forward."

And the Italian-Swiss considered that "the current football calendar shows that we have reached some limits. The period of players liberation for national teams, exacerbated by Covid-19, shows us how difficult it is for players to travel between one country and another, between one continent and another to start a typical season in Europe, and then stop Playing for the national team, traveling across continents and time zones to play with their clubs again. It's not good for the health of the players and it's not good for the health of the competitions."

He concluded, "This comprehensive and extensive process is a sign of respect from FIFA to the entire world. We hope to complete it by the end of this year in order to look to the future, with the end of the current (men's) international matches in 2024."

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