Teenager Afif set to become first Qatari in La Liga

DOHA (Reuters) – A 19-year-old Qatari striker who was signed by Spanish club Villareal on Sunday is set to become the first player from his country to play in the Primera Liga and potentially the European Champions League. Akram Afif's transfer was confirmed on Sunday by Qatari club Al Sadd, where former Barcelona midfielder Xavi plays. Having a Qatari national in one of Europe's strongest leagues is seen as a boon for the Gulf country which has spent millions of dollars developing young players as it prepares to host the World Cup 2022. “I hope I can be one of the best players in La Liga for Villarreal… playing the Champions League is a goal for me,” Afif said in an interview with the World Cup organizing body of Qatar. “I also hope that more Qatari players can play in Europe… to learn a lot of things for the World Cup. The World Cup is held in our country and it is a great opportunity for Qatari players .” Afif, born in Doha, had been on loan since 2015 to a Qatari team in the Belgian second division, Kas Eupen, where he scored six goals in 16 appearances. He is a product of Qatar's Aspire Academy, which has spent millions of dollars training Qatari footballers as well as naturalized foreign talent. One of the few Qatari players to have played in Europe, Akram made his debut for the Qatar national team last year in a 15-0 win over Bhutan in a World Cup qualifier. (Reporting by Tom Finn, editing by Nick Mulvenney)