Finding fresh football talent has become a whole new ball game these days.
In Oman, it could well be the beach where the next generation of footballing stars for the national team is discovered.
This week, Oman Football Association (OFA), in partnership with Oman Oil, announced the launch of a nationwide talent search and community beach soccer tournament to be held in all the regions of Oman.
Every legend has a beginning and for some lucky youngsters, this could be the start of their rise to soccer stardom.
Called the “Oman Oil Beach Soccer Tournament”, regional matches will be played in the Sur, Sohar, Salalah and Muscat regions.
Each leg of the tournament will be scouted by national beach soccer coach Talib Hilal. He will then invite the selected players to the camp to prepare for the Asian (AFC) Beach Soccer Championships, where he will select the best among them to compete. Oman won the last AFC Beach Soccer Championships in 2015, beating Japan on penalties.
The tournament is open to all abilities and is being played on the four separate dates listed below:
Sharqiya region (Sur) – April 9
Batinah Region (Sohar) – April 16
Dhofar Region (Salalah) – April 23
Muscat – April 30
“Beach soccer is in the very fabric of Omani culture, one need only go to the beach every evening to see how much people enjoy the sport,” said Jaber Sulaiman al Busaidi, corporate affairs manager at the Oman Oil Marketing Company.
“Through this tournament, we can take what is a recreational activity and turn it into an opportunity for a young person to represent his country at the highest level. The kind of impact that can create is monumental.”
Talib Hilal, Oman’s national beach soccer coach and the man on the hunt for talent, added: “Beach soccer is a growing sport and the Oman side is one of its stronger teams. There are many young Omani players who are nurtured every day on the Sultanate’s beaches, but do not have the opportunity to achieve that potential.”
WIN
Support the Red Warriors!
The Oman national football team are facing a big game on March 24 as they take on Guam in a Preliminary Joint Qualification Round match for the 2018 FIFA World Cup. You and a friend could be there to cheer on the boys. We’ve teamed up with the OFA to offer 10 lucky readers a pair of tickets to see all the action at the Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex. Kick off is 7pm.
To win, simply send your best football-related selfie to editor@y-oman.com by Sunday, March 20. The best 10 will win a pair of tickets, which includes a voucher for a free McDonald’s meal. Good luck!
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