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Robson Sharuko
Senior Sports Editor
JUST three days after their flagship project ousted Barcelona from the Champions League, their Belgian investment fell short of completing a fairytale week for Qatar’s multi-million dollar global football portfolio.

The latest showdown between Lionel Messi, and one of the pretenders to his crown, Kylian Mbappe, in Paris on Wednesday night, inevitably, grabbed all the headlines around the world.

In a way, it showcased how a tiny, but very rich Gulf state, which is set to host the World Cup next year, has been influencing the very top of world football, with its huge financial muscle.

Victory over Messi and his Catalan giants should have cheered the PSG backers in a game where success on the pitch helps to provide a significant return on investment and in an era where their golden boy, Mbappe, is being touted as one of the next generation of superstars.

However, far away from the global media spotlight, another football club, with strong links to the Qataris, and their money which has changed the face of the world game, could not make it a perfect few days, for their wealthy Gulf backers.

Knowledge Musona’s Belgian side, KAS Eupen, do not have the huge profile which the likes of PSG, have created, in the game, around the globe. But, had they won at home on Saturday night, in a local derby against Standard Liege, Musona and his teammates would have completed a perfect week for their wealthy Qatari backers.

However, the Zimbabwe captain saw his dreams, of guiding his club into the Belgian Cup final, which would have been a significant achievement for both the club, and their sponsors, being shattered by a 0-1 defeat at the hands of Standard Liege.

Musona hit the bar, in the 52nd minute, after an assist from Stef Peeters but, after scoring twice, in his team’s last match, he could not find the rally, in the Belgian Cup semi-final showdown, as KAS Eupen crashed out.

The Warriors talisman, who is on loan at KAS Eupen from giants Anderlecht, was later pulled out, with 15 minutes left, as his club chased for the equaliser.

The journey into the semi-finals of the Belgian Cup has not generated headlines, across the globe but, to their Qatari backers, it’s something that matters.

Tucked away in a Belgian area, where the majority of residents speak German, KAS Eupen are hardly mentioned, even when the giants of their country’s football, like Anderlecht and Club Brugge, are drawn into conversations.

But, next year, they will be celebrating the 10th year of their partnership with the same wealthy Gulf country, and financial backers, who have been pouring hundreds of millions, into the coffers of the likes of PSG.

Unlike the PSG investment, aimed at creating a giant club capable of dominating world football, the financial injection into KAS Eupen, is meant to create a nursery where promising Qatari players, and others drawn from around the world, are given a platform to be developed into the next generation of stars.

KAS Eupen even clinched a multi-year sponsorship deal with Qatar Airways, joining a stable which has the likes of Italian side, AS Roma, and Argentine powerhouse, Boca Juniors.

“We are delighted to add KAS Eupen to our global football sponsorship portfolio. We look forward to working and engaging with the club and its fans to help make a real difference through this exciting new partnership,’’ Qatar Airways senior vice president, marketing and corporate communications, Salam Al Shawa, said, when the deal was announced.

“Sport is a key pillar of the long-term vision of the State of Qatar, and as Qatar’s national carrier, we welcome the opportunity to use sport as a means for youth development here in Qatar and around the world.”

And, as expected, there was joy at the Belgian club.

“We are delighted to announce our partnership with one of the most prestigious and awarded airlines in the world.

“Qatar Airways will be our main shirt sponsor from now on, which puts our club within the remarkable global football club portfolio of Qatar Airways such as AS Roma, Boca Juniors, FC Bayern München and Al Sadd SC,’’ Andreas Bleicher, a member of the club’s board of directors, said.

“Our professional team will wear the Qatar Airways logo on our jersey from now on.

“Our partnership is both incentive and commitment for us to stay in Belgium’s top flight league, to improve our professional to youth teams and also continuously develop our club organisationally and increase our social engagement.

“As a club we will support Qatar Airways´ ambition in the Belgian airline and tourism industry, so that it will become a win-win situation for both entities. We are looking forward to an exciting partnership with Qatar Airways.’’

Paris Saint Germain’s transformation, into the dominant force of French football, and a serial challenger for honours, on the European front, has been shaped by millions of dollars injected by their Qatari owners.

Since their arrival, in the summer of 2011, the Qataris, through their Aspire Zone Foundation, have splashed more than US$1.2 billion, into the coffers of PSG, to help the club recruit stars like Mbappe, Thiago Silva, Edinson Cavani, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Neymar, Mauro Icardi and David Luiz.

The Parisian giants were ranked the club with the seventh-highest revenue, in world football, with Deloitte reporting their annual revenue, during the 2019–20 season, was around US$646 million.

They had the financial power to pay Barcelona about US$239 million, to bring Neymar from the Catalan giants, while also guaranteeing the Brazilian superstar, a cool gross salary of around US$107 million.

Even Barcelona, who today face an implosion because of a severe financial crisis, have benefitted immensely, from the small Gulf state with official figures, released by the club, showing that they received US$17.9 million in 2010/11, US$31 million in 2011/12, US34.6 million in 2012/13, US$35.8 million in 2013/14, US$36.45 million in 2014/15 and US$38.23 million in 2015/16.

The Catalan giants also received an additional US$5.9 million in 2014/15, as a bonus, for winning the Champions League.

The total revenue from their Qatari deal, which saw Qatar Airways replace Qatar Foundation, on the club’s shirts, from 2013, before their time as the flagship sponsors ended, was around US$204 million.

While Barca sealed a sponsorship deal with Japanese firm, Rakuten, worth around US$76.5 million, plus bonuses, the Qatari investment continues to shape PSG.

Last season, the French giants came just short of winning the Champions League, when they lost in the final to German powerhouse, Bayern Munich.

They remain one of the favourites, this season, especially after their blitzkrieg destroyed Barca, at the Camp Nou, with Mbappe scoring a hattrick, before the two sides battled to a 1-1 draw in Paris last Wednesday.