March 31, (THEWILL) – Austin “Jay Jay” Okocha, the former captain of the Super Eagles, will join other football icons as draw assistants for the Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup draw on Friday.
Okocha will be joined by Lothar Matthaüs, the German football great and 1990 World Cup winner, Cafu, the Brazilian 2002 World Cup-winning captain, Rabah Madjer, Tim Cahill, former Qatari player Adel Ahmed MalAllah, and former Iranian international Ali Daei.
Bora Milutinovic, the coach of the Super Eagles at the 1998 World Cup, will also join them.
The draw will take place in Doha, Qatar’s capital city, at the Doha Exhibition & Convention Centre.
Carli Lloyd, Samantha Johnson, and Jermaine Jenas, a former Tottenham and Newcastle footballer, have been named as the draw conductors.
Cafu, who has appeared in three World Cup finals in a row and twice won the trophy, said it is a source of honour for him to be present at the draws. He is taking part in the World Cup draw for the third time.
He said: “I am getting used to this, but it still gives me goosebumps. It is a sign that the World Cup is getting nearer. It is nearly 20 years since I became the last South American player to lift the World Cup and it is a memory I will always cherish.
“Playing at the World Cup, when your whole country comes to a standstill to watch the game, is incomparable.”
Milutinovic, better known in Nigeria as ‘Bora,’ is the only coach to have coached in five World Cups between 1986 and 2002. After replacing Phillipe Troussier soon before the 1998 World Cup, he led the Super Eagles to a round of 16 exit.
Ali Daei was the world’s best international scorer until Cristiano Ronaldo surpassed him last year. When he played for Iran, the versatile forward scored the previous record of 109 goals.
Madjer, an Algerian, was a crucial member of the Les Fennecs team that wowed the world at the Espana 1982 World Cup, where Algeria notched a surprise victory over Germany.
MalAllah, a former Qatari international, is thrilled to be representing the hosts in the draw. He expressed his excitement, saying: “I’m thrilled to be a draw assistant in my home country, and proud of Qatar.
“A FIFA World Cup in our region is a dream come true for every Arab footballer and football fan. This generation will make history on the pitch and we cannot wait to welcome the world here in just a few months’ time.”
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
