In a vibrant atmosphere with lovers of Italian football, the Italian Embassy in Muscat launched the photo exhibition 'Welcome Azzurri: An Italian Football Journey' dedicated to historical football moments, at Bait Al Zubair in collaboration with del calcio museum and Italian football federation FIGC.
The event was attended by Basil bin Ahmed al Rawas, Under-Secretary of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth for Sports and Youth and the Italian legend Giuseppe Dossena, who represented the Italian national football team and was a member of the Azzurri team that won the 1982 Fifa World Cup.
Several young football enthusiasts dressed in sportswear representing various players who have played for the Italian national team, showed their love and solidarity for this event, which delighted the audience. Attendees also had the opportunity to capture photographs of the exhibits that explained sporting events with achievement dates.
The exhibition featured 34 images of the best matches played by the Italian national football and beach soccer teams against regional teams since June 9, 1928.
The exhibition will remain open until May 15, 2024, allowing a wide audience to attend and learn about this achievement.
Al Rawas praised the exhibition and expressed his joy at Italy's successes, noting that it will inspire the public with stories of success and sacrifices experienced by the Italian team in sports. He also thanked the embassy, the Italian football federation, Bait Al Zubair, and the Oman Football Association for organising the event.
Al Rawas emphasised the importance of documenting the achievements of ministries, federations and clubs in Oman to inspire youth, stating that honouring and recognising achievements enriches memory and encourages youth participation in activities.
Pierluigi D’Elia, Ambassador of Italy accredited to the Sultanate of Oman, commented, "We are very proud to organise this exhibition, Welcome to the Azzurri A Journey through Italian Football' in Oman, specifically at Bait Al Zubair. It is a commitment to bring more Italian players and football teams to enhance our cooperation in football."
The ambassador added, "this exhibition reflects the harmony and friendship and how sports can bring nations and people together. We are also committed to supporting all efforts made by Oman in developing the sports sector, and we look forward to enhancing our cooperation in football between our federations, ministries, football players and coaches."
Fahad al Hasni, Exhibitions Director at Bait Al Zubair, stated, "this captivating exhibition is evidence of the role of sports in promoting cultural exchange and understanding between peoples. Football is not just a sport; it is a bridge that connects people around the world. Through this exhibition, we hope to strengthen the cultural ties between Oman and Italy and activate possible areas of cooperation in the future."
Former Italian player Giuseppe Dossena shared his fondest memories with the Italian national team, saying, "the first thing that comes to my mind in the tapestry of memories is when we won the World Cup in 1992. In Italy, every Italian child's dream is to win the World Cup, and my dream came true."
He added, "It's hard for me to describe my feelings, but bringing joy to the people was the most important goal I wanted to achieve."
Mohammed al Wahibi, a visitor to the exhibition, said, "personally, when I saw the photos, I felt a beautiful feeling with what the Italian Embassy has done. We should learn from this experience. When passersby are asked about the oldest Omani national team players, they are unknown to many people. Holding such exhibitions is an opportunity to learn about the sports history, achievements and players who laid the foundation for Omani football."
He added, "such exhibitions also boost the morale of players, ensuring that they will not be just a passing story in Omani football history, but will be celebrated like others someday."
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