But how many of them will remember that they were there in 30 or 40 years time?

The question is pertinent as alarm grows over the escalating number of players from around the world that are suffering from Alzheimer’s, or other forms of dementia, largely as a result of heading the ball.

While statistics are not available for those players from overseas who may be affected, we do know that in England the situation has become sufficiently acute for a lawsuit to now be launched against the Football Association (FA) by a large group of dementia sufferers or their relatives.

Among those suing the FA is John Stiles, son of World Cup winner Nobby Stiles, best remembered as the toothless dynamo who danced a jig of joy alongside captain Bobby, as they led the England team on a lap of honour around Wembley Stadium after defeating West Germany in the glorious summer of 1966.

Alas, the Manchester United star himself had long forgotten that memorable moment as Alzheimer's had cruelly claimed his mind, as it had half his 1966 teammates.

Apart from Nobby, Ray Wilson, Jack Charlton, Roger Hunt and Martin Peters all passed away as a result of dementia, as did their manager, Sir Alf Ramsey, who had played as a full-back for Tottenham Hotspur and England.

Sadly the other Charlton brother Sir Bobby, arguably England’s most famous and best loved footballer of all time, is another now in the grip of the disease at 85, and is no longer seen in public.

This has to be more than a coincidence, a point made by by the group of 30 former footballers - among them several recently retired professionals who are suffering from early onset dementia - taking legal action against the FAs of both England and Wales alleging negligence on the grounds that they have failed to protect players from brain injuries and other neurological disorders such as post concussion syndrome.

According to the UK newspaper the Daily Mail, a number of families of players who died suffering from brain injuries have also joined the claim with John Stiles saying: "Since dad died I have been part of the campaign to address the ongoing scandal of football in all its various aspects."

The legal action will centre on the claim that the domestic FA is and IFAB, who set the laws of the game, are negligent in failing to protect players from permanent injury by repetitive concussive blows to the head.

Stiles Jnr adds: "These proposed legal proceedings are part of this overall campaign for justice for the victims, like dad, and for fundamental change in an industry that continues to cause the death and illness of thousands of players every year."

Similarly Dawn Astle. daughter of another England international, Jeff Astle, the West Bromwich Albion striker who died 20 years ago at 59 from accumulated brain trauma, has long been critical of football authorities in their apparent diffidence towards the problem.

She has consistently implored the FA to ramp up studies into the links between football and dementia and this year has been working with the Professional Footballers Association (PFA), leading a dedicated dementia department as part of the union’s push to ensure support for players with neurological diseases is a top priority.

Like Jack Charlton, Jeff Astle was a prolific header of the ball. 

More than half the 200 goals he scored during his career were from his head.

In 2002 he became the first British footballer ruled by a coroner to have died from chronic traumatic encephalopathy, a form of dementia.

A professional study by Dr Willie Stewart, a neuropathologist, found that former professional footballers were 3.5 times more likely to die with adventure than the general public.

It is claimed that the authorities were negligent in failure to reduce the amount of heading in training and matches, failing to monitor and treat suspected concussions with the use of independent doctors and failure to enforce adequate return to play protocols.

The legal action is being led by law firm Roland’s Garth, who are representing more than 300 rugby players across postcodes who are suing the rugby authorities for negligence in the biggest class action lawsuit outside the United States.

And so to Qatar, and what is surely the most vexed mega sports event for many years, smothered in all sorts of controversies from alleged corruption to mass deaths of migrant workers and other human rights atrocities. The dangers of dementia may be considered the least of their worries.

World football authorities are conveniently burying their heads in the sands of the Sahara over such matters, but many of those watching or playing are not.

We are assured that all will be welcome regardless of race, religion or sexual orientation. We shall see.

Whatever the outcome, let’s hope that, like 1966 and all that, this World Cup will be remembered for its football. We must also fervently hope that all those who play in it will have their memories too.