National Museum unveils memorabilia of Ali al Habsi
The National Museum, in cooperation with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth, held an inauguration ceremony for several memorabilia of Omani international goalkeeper Ali bin Abdullah al Habsi on Wednesday.
These memorabilia, which are being exhibited for the first time, include the medal he won for winning the FA Cup with Wigan Athletic in the 2012-2013 season, as well as the shirt he wore in the final of the tournament.
The inauguration ceremony was attended by several prominent figures from the cultural and sports fields, including Jamal bin Hassan al Mousawi, Secretary-general of the National Museum, and Basil bin Ahmed bin Amer al Rawas, Under-secretary of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth for Sports and Youth, along with several sports figures and enthusiasts.
Jamal al Musawi expressed his pride in displaying Al Habsi’s achievements in the National Museum, stressing the importance of documenting his inspiring career as a national icon in the world of football, and his hope that this initiative will be a source of inspiration for everyone, especially young people, to achieve success through hard work and dedication to their homeland.
For his part, Al Habsi expressed his pride and honour at the inauguration ceremony for the establishment of a corner of his sports achievements in the National Museum. He praised the high directives of His Highness Sayyid Theyazin bin Haitham al Said, Minister of Culture, Sports and Youth, which linked the achievements of athletes to museums, stressing that this reflects an interest in sports and athletes and encourages everyone to make more achievements.
Al Habsi added that success in football depends on teamwork and the strength of the team, a principle that has accompanied him throughout his sports and personal career. He also drew attention to the support he received from those around him, especially the care and support of the late Sultan Qaboos bin Said, who was an inspiration to the youth of the country.
In his footsteps, His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik continues the ongoing renaissance of Oman.
The memorabilia that were displayed in the museum included a medal made of 9-karat gold, as well as a sports shirt engraved with the details of the historic match in which Wigan Athletic won the FA Cup.
It is noteworthy that Al Habsi, who retired from football in August 2020, achieved many successes during his career, and was one of the most prominent goalkeepers in the region and the world, and won several awards and honours during his professional and sports career.