Qatar is one of the latest growing countries in the Middle East. After the discovery of oil & gas in Qatar, the country went through significant changes. With several investments in different fields, Qatar developed in various areas. Qatar has also made significant investments in its football. The Qatar Stars League Cup is now worldwide famous. The Qatar Stars League table has several qualified teams that can compete internationally. Moreover, Qatar Stars League salaries are very high. The teams consist of top-level players and well-known coaches. In this article, we have gathered interesting facts about Qatar Stars League Cup.
Qatar Stars League Cup
The Qatari people love football, and it is a popular sport throughout the Arab world. Qatar has invested heavily in various sports fields, including football.
Qatar has become the main center of high-level players and standard football playing, especially by its partnership with FIFA.
The country of Qatar has been hosting several international football events, including the 2022 FIFA World Cup, the AFC Asian Cup 2023, and the 2024 AFC U-23 Asian Cup.
The Qatar Star League, also known as QSL, is one of the leading football leagues in Asia.
The popularity of this League has increased in recent years, and it has many fans all over the Middle East.
The Qatar Stars League fixtures have been attracting famous football players and young talents from the region and all around the world to maintain a world-class level. The QSL table is now one of the growing forces in Asia.
History
The Qatar Stars League is a top-level league in Asia. QSL started its first season in 1963, with football being majorly popular at the time in Asian countries and all around the world.
Although it was an unofficial season, the league continued its system until 1972.
Qatar Stars League played its first season without promotion or relegation in 1972-73 with Al Esteqlal, also known as Qatar Sc, which won the league championship.
The Qatar Stars League started its system with two divisions, and both divisions had their fans and followers.
Despite forming an official season after 1972, the relegation and promotion system needed a major improvement.
In 1981, the relegation and promotion system of the Qatar Stars League changed and developed.
Over the years, QFA (Qatar Football Association) developed and launched new systems in the league, which caused major improvements in the league’s standards.
Interestingly, the Qatar Stars League was called the Q-League until 2009.
Qatar Stars League Famous clubs
The Qatar Stars League has popular clubs that have fans all over the world and the Middle East.
The Qatar Stars League is the most watched and loved league by Qatari people. Every football club in Qatar has its diehard fans.
One of the most popular team is Al Sadd SC, which has won 16 champions. The Al Rayyan club with 8 champions, and the Al Arabi club with 7 champions, are other popular teams in QSL.
Al Gharafa with 7 champions, Al Duhail with 7, Qatar Sc with 3, and Al Wakrah with 2 champions are all famous clubs of the Qatar Stars League.
Famous Players
Qatar Stars League was the center of big and famous players and coaches for decades. The QSL featured so many world-famous players and top-level coaches.
If we analyze the number of famous players and coaches that have played or coached in QSL, we can see many football legends among them.
Some of the football legends who played in QSL are Stefan Effenberg (German Player), Vladimir Weiss (Slovakian Footballer), Juninho Pernambucano (Brazilian king of free-kicks), Gabriel Batistuta (Argentine striker), and Raúl González (Brilliant Striker in 2011-12).
Other Players Include:
- Seydou Keita: French midfielder who played in big teams like FC Barcelona and chose to finish his career in Qatar, spending some time at Al-Jaysh.
- Xavi: One of the famous foreign players in the QSL who played for 4 years in the Al Sadd club, earning around €10m each season. Xavi was the legend of FC Barcelona in the past, and now he is a great coach.
- Josep Guardiola: Pep Guardiola was a good football player in his prime years of playing. He played for Catalonia’s Barcelona and had invitations from both Chelsea and Manchester United. However, he decided to play for Al Ahly, and later on, he started his coaching career and became an amazing coach at several teams.
- James Rodriguez: One of the latest foreign players in the QSL, James Rodriguez playing since 2021 in Al Rayyan to showcase his talents in the QSL.
- Mario Mandzukic: Croatian player who played in Al Duhail SC in 2019-20
- Wesley Sneijder: A Famous Netherlands player who played for Al Gharafa in 2018-19.
- Marcel Desailly: The defensive player who played for several big clubs in Europe and gained a name for himself decided to perform the last period of his career in Qatar by being a captain at Al Gharafa and taking his team to the championship.
- Samuel Eto’o: Cameroonian football player and the legend of Inter Milan and Barcelona who is the current president of the Cameroonian Football Federation played for Qatar Sc club in 2018-19.
- Toby Alderweireld: Belgian football player who is playing since 2021 in Al Duhail club.
Qatar Stars League Structure
The Qatar Stars League, which previously was known as Q-League, features 2 divisions in the Qatari football structure.
The Qatar Stars League Table includes 12 teams in the first division and 8 teams in the second division.
The divisions of the league are very popular and both have their followers. At the end of the regular league system of Qatar, the top four clubs in QSL participate in the Qatar Crown Prince Cup. The Qatar Prince Cup was formed in the 1994/95 season.
The Qatar Stars League attendance has been expanded over the years. In May 2013, the QFA expanded the league by two more teams, bringing the total number of clubs in the first division to 14. However, in 2017 the number of teams moved back to 12 by QFA.
There are also amateur leagues in the football system of Qatar under the jurisdiction of the Qatar Community Football League (QCFL) and Qatar Amateur League (QAL). There are currently 4 official amateur football leagues in Qatar.
Final Word
Football is one of the most popular sports in the country of Qatar, and Qatari people love and enjoy this field of sport. This League is one of the latest growing football leagues in the region featuring over 10 teams in the country.
The Qatar Stars League Transfermarkt data suggests that the QSL has top market value resulting in growth and development in Qatar’s football field. The QSL is also a great league for players who want to experience a standard level and get a good salary. The QSL salaries are high, especially if you are a great player.
One Response
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