Athletes connect - Crossover between table tennis and football.
Mohammed Abdulwahab, captain of the Qatar national table tennis team, recently linked up with none other than Real Madrid and Germany star Antonio Rüdiger — and it didn’t take long before the two started talking about a potential match. Both athletes are signed with Kotinos Sports, an international athlete agency supporting talents across different sports. They met during a Kotinos team event at the stunning Katara Cultural Village in Doha.
After their meeting, Abdulwahab took to social media to challenge Rüdiger to a table tennis match. The Champions League winner didn’t take long to respond. His answer? “Inshaallah soon.” 🔥
We had a very long chat about sports in general,” Abdulwahab shared. “But mostly about football and table tennis. He was fascinated by the sport, especially after watching it at the Olympics, and amazed at how much attention it’s starting to attract.
The location for the showdown? Still to be decided.
We haven’t picked a venue yet — could be in Doha, could be in Madrid. But we’re both looking forward to it,” said Abdulwahab.
While the match-up will surely be fun, Abdulwahab sees something even bigger in the moment:
I really think it’s great for our sport when athletes at that level show interest and engage with table tennis. We need more of this!
He also gave a shoutout to Kotinos:
Kotinos is here to support athletes not just with sponsorships, but with everything an athlete needs. It’s a great project, and I’m proud to be a part of it.
With Qatar set to host the ITTF World Table Tennis Championships Finals in May 2025, and secured the Asian Games 2030, the spotlight on table tennis in Qatar is only growing.
Could this celebrity match help put even more eyes on table tennis? One thing is certain — we’ll be watching.