Former England national team footballer and 1966 FIFA World Cup hero, Sir Geoffrey Hurst, visited Qatar’s Aspire Academy on Wednesday, 10 April 2019 where he received a tour of the world-renowned sporting facilities.
The Englishman, who remains the only man to score a hat-trick in a FIFA World Cup final when England beat West Germany in 1966, toured the newly completed Aspire Football Performance Centre where he praised the new facilities.
Speaking at the end of his tour, Sir Geoff Hurst said:
I am so impressed by what I have seen of Qatar, the 2022 FIFA World Cup host nation, and the facilities they already have on offer for athletes. I leave Aspire Academy and Qatar knowing that the country possesses one of the best sports development institutions in the world and certainly the best I have ever seen. I am from an older generation and we did things differently but here in Qatar they have developed the facilities and expertise that every footballer and sportsperson would dream of for their preparation and development. I can see how these facilities will ensure Qatar will host a terrific FIFA World Cup in 2022 that will be a celebration for all football loving people around the world.’