FIFA Executive Council Member, Amaju Melvin Pinnick, marked his 52nd birthday here in Doha, Qatar yesterday with President of the world football body, Gianni Infantino present to felicitate with the former Nigerian football chief.
The brief but well attended birthday brunch which held at the exclusive, highbrow Diplomatic Club in The Pearl area of the city, was celebrated with amazing food, drinks, music and of course, cakes.
Speaking at the event, the FIFA President, Infantino who was accompanied to the event by his Lebanese wife, Leena Al Ashqar, congratulated Pinnick on his 52nd birthday and prayed for good health and success both personal and professionally for him.
“In this FIFA World Cup year, I am most appreciative of your support and collaboration in making this tournament such a successful and unique event, carrying a message of hope, unity and solidarity,” Infantino told THISDAY at the ceremony.
He described the 2022 World Cup here in Qatar as an exciting and incredible tournament. “The public and fans here have made it a celebration of football in the best possible way.”
Infantino insisted he has been impressed by the performance of the African teams here so far, especially the defeat of the defending champions France by Tunisia at the Education Stadium on Wednesday evening.
The FIFA President is particularly excited that some of the African teams are going to make it to the knockout rounds unlike what happened four years ago in Russia when they all exited in the first round.
He said he hopes Nigeria makes it to the next edition to be hosted by USA, Canada and Mexico in 2026. The FIFA President later presented a customized Qatar 2022 match ball to Pinnick as his birthday gift.
Birthday boy, Pinnick who is also a CAF Executive Committee member, was full of praises for his beautiful wife Julie and the FIFA secretariat for putting together the birthday brunch for him.
He expressed his happiness with his birthday happening in a tournament where it is possible to watch between two and three matches in one day due to the compact nature of Qatar, the host country.
“This World Cup in Qatar is historic. This might not happen again in our life time for us to have the opportunity to watch two to three matches in one day. As at the last count, I have watched 32 matches. This is something special,” observed Pinnick who stressed that he would have been happier if Nigeria had qualified and here at Qatar 2022.
“This would have been our (Nigeria) World Cup to take. With how teams struggled in the first round, our Victor Osimhen would have shined and take the centre stage. Anyway, now is the time for us to begin preparations for the next edition in four years’ time.”
He praised the host country for the quality of facilities that they have provided to host this World Cup. “Everything thing from stadium to hotel and other facilities are amongst the best you can find anywhere in the world. They are topnotch. The whole world should join us in FIFA to praise Qatar.”
Present at the ceremony to serenade the former NFF president were; Secretary General of FIFA, Fatma Samoura; her deputy, Mathias Graftstrom; FIFA Council Member and President of Romania FA, Razvan Bearleneau; President of Zambia FA, Andrew Kamanga; President of CONCACAF, Victor Montegliani; FIFA Council Member, Hani Aboriba and his wife; CAF Vice President, Souleman Waberi; Former US Soccer Federation President and Special Adviser to the FIFA President; Carlos Cordera; and several other top football technocrats and some of Pinnick’s childhood friends who flew in from Europe and USA.
