The Arabic country's huge investment into football is helping elevate its status on the global stage...
In the modern age of constantly shifting international relations and geopolitics, the role of sports as a vessel for diplomacy and the projection of ‘soft power’ has gradually been increasing and no other country than Qatar has demonstrated that quality more in the past decade or so.
Having gained independence only in 1971, Qatar have never historically been a prominent sporting nation with its relatively sparse population and size but the Arab country has still managed to thrust itself into the spotlight through various means.