UPDATE: This story has been updated to include confirmation from UNESCO that news of the ambassadorship was in fact, fake.
For the updated story please click here.
The football champion and Aspire Academy graduate is now a role model for football fanatics in Qatar.
Qatar’s star footballer Almoez Ali became an ambassador for the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) on Saturday, state news reported.
The announcement came after a visit by Football World Heritage president at UNESCO, Princess Rani Vanouska Modely, during her visit to Qatar earlier this week.
The Duhail forward and Qatar national football team striker was selected by UNESCO due to his distinguished performance in previous tournaments, as well as his widespread popularity in Qatar, the Gulf, and Asia.
Al Moez turned hears during the AFC Asian Cup 2019 in the United Arab Emirates after securing a record breaking goal tally that helped Qatar win its maiden continental title.
Since then, the 2019 AFC Asian Cup top-scorer grew as a prominent figure and an idol for youth and football fanatics in Qatar.
“The signing ceremony for the appointment of Almoez Ali as Ambassador to UNESCO took place in Doha, in the presence of the French coach Arsene Wenger, who is one of the organisation’s Ambassadors, and Princess Rani Vanouska Modely, the Ambassador delegate for the candidacy of football world heritage of humanity,” local media reported.
Al Duhail’s team striker said in a tweet “it was an honour to sign the pledge with HH Princess Rani Vanouska T.Modely @VMODELY to support the candidacy of Football as a world heritage for humanity on UNESCO list. I also believe that football can change the world and I’m proud of joining this global movement as an ambassador to represent my country Qatar.”
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Responding to the latest signing, Princess Rani Vanouska said: “Thank you @Moezali_ for your support. We are proud that you have became an ambassador to represent your country #Qatar to join this global movement of Football World Heritage to call on UNESCO.”
The football star has scored 26 goals in 58 appearances for the Qatar national team.
“As a young football player, I had big dreams to become a star like the Qatari players I used to watch, such as Khalfan Ibrahim, Hassan Al Haydos and the top scorer Sebastian (Soria). My ambition was to reach that level of accomplishments.
“With the help of God, I was able to achieve such scores and even more. This was the fruit of the collective efforts of the team I play with, who helped me reach to the top,” the champion said in earlier comments.
