Doha: The Local Organizing Committee (LOC) for the FIFA U-17 World Cup Qatar 2025 and FIFA Thursday unveiled BOMA the Desert Owl as the official tournament mascot. In a statement the LOC said BOMA is a character inspired by the legendary Serbian coach Velibor "Bora" Milutinovic, the only manager in football history to lead five different national teams in five consecutive FIFA World Cup tournaments. According to Qatar News Agency, the statement added that the name "Boma" is derived from the Arabic word for owl, regarded as a symbol of wisdom, vision, and mentorship, and is a playful nod to Bora, whose career as both coach and talent scout has profoundly influenced football development in Qatar and across the world. Speaking to the LOC, Bora highlights the passion he holds for nurturing future footballers and the importance of the upcoming FIFA U-17 World Cup Qatar 2025 in celebrating tomorrow's stars. "When it comes to discovering young talent, my greatest satisfaction as a coach has always been to promote emerging players, to show them that they must have the right attitude, believe in their dreams, and aim for the national team," said Coach Bora. "I really like the idea behind the mascot and want to thank everyone who came up with it," he added. "The World Cup is something truly special. When you're young, you dream of playing at the highest level, and the U-17 team is the first step on that journey. It's very important for young players to face the best in the world and see where they stand," stressed Coach Bora. "The team that scores more goals will win; it is as simple as that. But with young players, the outcome of matches often depends on inspiration, talent, and spirit. Most importantly, I hope everyone enjoys this World Cup. Enjoying the game is what truly matters, especially at the U-17 level, because that experience helps you grow both as a person and as an athlete," he underlined. Known affectionately as Coach Bora, Milutinovic guided Mexico, Costa Rica, the United States, Nigeria, and China at f ive successive World Cups between 1986 and 2002, a unique achievement unmatched in football history. He went on to coach Al Sadd SC of the Qatar Stars League in 2004, leading them to win the Amir Cup in the same year, and contributed to the country's football development programmes, making him a fitting inspiration for this tournament's mascot. "Aspire Zone is incredible, it has some of the best facilities in the world. The U-17 World Cup will be played on perfect pitches, in perfect conditions. Qatar has a distinguished track record in hosting major events, and I'm sure we'll see high-quality football once again. I still remember the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, it was unforgettable," concluded Coach Bora. The FIFA U-17 World Cup Qatar 2025, taking place at the state-of-the-art Competition Complex at Aspire Zone, will see as many as eight matches a day, for a total of 104 matches. The Final will take place on 27 November, 7pm local time, at Khalifa International Stadium. The FIFA U-17 World Cup Qatar 2025 is t he first of five consecutive editions that Qatar will be hosting. As the first FIFA World Cup to feature 48 teams, this will be the biggest-ever edition of the youth tournament that saw the likes of Gianluigi Buffon, Luis Figo, Xavi Hernandez, Eden Hazard, Andres Iniesta, Neymar, Ronaldinho, Son Heung-min and Francesco Totti appear on the world stage for the first time.