Qatar's $300bn marketing bet with World Cup draws to a close

"It’s been a very expensive ad campaign and I’m not sure it’s been an especially successful one.”

Estate agents are concerned apartments will remain unfinished, while hotels will have a glut of rooms and some stadiums will never be used again.

When Qatar was drawn out of the envelope as a future host of the World Cup back in 2010, it was doubtful the majority of football fans would have been able to find it on a map.

A dozen years, $300bn (€282bn) and a raft of controversies later, one of the most expensive marketing campaigns in history will culminate with the tiny Gulf state hosting a final on Sunday between Argentina and France that’s expected to be watched by half the planet.