France Football Magazine Claims Spanish Execs Helped Qatar Win 2022 World Cup Bid

French magazine France Football reported that an "alliance with Spain 'was one of the foundations' that allowed Qatar to obtain the support of various Latin American nations and win the right to host the 2022 World Cup," according to AS. The alleged alliance "implicated former Barcelona President Sandro Rosell, Real Madrid President Florentino Pérez" and Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) President Angel María Villar. France Football, "which did not name its sources," indicated that Villar "was in the center of dealings" with Qatar, which "agreed to back Spain's 2018 bid in exchange for support for its 2022 campaign." The magazine reported that "contact with Real Madrid and Barcelona opened the door to a game of influences that led to Villar voting for Qatar and using his contacts to help Qatar gain the support of Latin American countries." It was "reported that these talks took place" in Feb. '10 during a meeting in Barcelona between Villar and Aspire Academy VP Tariq al-Naama (AS, 6/17).