‘It was chilly inside the stadiums’ - Luis Garcia feels Qatar’s cooling system a gamechanger for players at World Cup 2022

Spanish football legend Luis Garcia feels that the spectators are in for a show at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, later this year.

The former Liverpool and Atletico Madrid winger is looking forward to the 2022 World Cup which is being held in the Middle-East for the first time.

The tournament kicks-off on November 21 and the final is set to be held on December 18. Eight venues will host the World Cup matches and interestingly, most of them have the Advanced Cooling Tech which keeps the ambient temperatures low and comfortable.

Garcia, who has been to Qatar in the past, said that the Advanced Cooling Tech is a revolutionary idea that will be a gamechanger for players.

“Yes, of course. If the players have to perform on the field, there needs to be the best conditions for them to do so. The only way to do that in Qatar is by bringing the temperature down,” he told Goal.

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Garcia has experienced the Cooling Tech while he was in Qatar to watch games involving current Barcelona boss Xavi Hernandez, who was in charge of Al Sadd back then. Garcia revealed that the temperatures were at times chilly inside the World Cup stadiums.

“I was there in Qatar when Xavi was the manager of Al Sadd SC. I was watching several games at the World Cup stadiums and you could see that inside the stadiums, it was even chilly sometimes. When the cooling system is operating fully, the temperatures drop so much. That for the players is key,” he added.

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Garcia, who has played in India and Australia in his club career, is aware that hot and humid conditions do not bring the best out of players. The 43-year-old is banking on an increase in quality, given that the conditions will be optimal inside the stadiums.

“Also, the World Cup is going to be played in November, so the outside temperature is not so high as well. But you need to give the players the right conditions. Only then can you give the spectators the show they deserve. It is the way it should be,” he stated.

Garcia, who was part of Spain’s 2006 World Cup squad, also felt that FIFA should be giving World Cup hosting rights to non-traditional countries as it is a way to increase the popularity of football and inspire the next generation. He feels the 2022 World Cup in Qatar will have a similar effect in the region.

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“The World Cup happening in Qatar is an opportunity to inspire the young people in the region. Of course, they can watch the games on TV and can get inspired. But when you can watch the matches live, feel the atmosphere, watch the players live and even get an autograph from them, that is different. That is forever.

“You can watch any number of games on TV but the most important thing is to get inspired after watching the World Cup live. So, that is great for the development of the game in the region,” he said.