Qatar’s squad for the 2022 World Cup has been announced, with the host country hoping their 26-man squad will be enough to create a surprise or two at their first World Cup.
Qatar had been waiting for this moment since December 2010.
No nation has ever had the same kind of preparation: the Maroons have graced the Copa America, the CONCACAF Gold Cup and even the UEFA World Cup qualifiers, making it into Group A to play a series friendly matches against Serbia, Portugal, Luxembourg, Azerbaijan. and the Republic of Ireland.
Can Qatar, the first World Cup hosts since Italy in 1934 never to take part in the tournament before hosting it, prove the people wrong?
The hosts appeared in the early stages of AFC qualification and won their group ahead of Oman. They also drew with Paraguay at the 2019 Copa America and reached the last four of the 2021 Gold Cup, eliminated only by an American winner who died in Texas. Add to that their home advantage, a decent draw and the luxury of having fully rested players, and there is hope. Putting down a marker against Ecuador in the 2022 World Cup opener would help.
They are a well-organised and cohesive team, have a good attacking duo in Almoez Ali and Akram Afif, and the familiarity of a team and their manager going through age groups together is certainly a strength. Although they have largely performed well in global friendlies and had to defeat Saudi Arabia, South Korea, the United Arab Emirates and Japan to win the 2019 Asian Cup, a complete lack of experience at this level is unavoidable for a team made up entirely of Qatar Stars League players.
Qatar squad for the 2022 World Cup
Qatar squad for the 2022 World Cup: The final 26-man squad
- GK: Saad Al Sheeb (Al-Sadd)
- GK: Yousef Hassan (Al-Gharafa)
- GK: Meshaal Barsham (Al-Sadd)
- Defender: Abdelkarim Hassan (Al-Sadd)
- Defender: Boualem Khoukhi (Al-Sadd)
- DF: Ro-Ro (Al-Sadd)
- Defender: Ismaeel Mohammed (Al-Duhail)
- Defender: Bassam Al-Rawi (Al-Duhail)
- Defender: Tarek Salman (Al-Sadd)
- Defender: Musab Kheder (Al-Sadd)
- Defender: Jassem Gaber (Al-Arabi)
- Defender: Homam Ahmed (Al-Gharafa)
- MF: Karim Boudiaf (Al-Duhail)
- Midfielder: Abdulaziz Hatem (Al-Rayyan)
- MF: Ali Assadalla (Al-Sadd)
- FM: Assim Madibo (Al-Duhail)
- FM: Salem Al-Hajri (Al-Sadd)
- MF: Mohammed Waad (Al-Sadd)
- MF: Mostafa Meshaal (Al-Sadd)
- AT: Hassan Al-Haydos (Al-Duhail)
- AT: Akram Afif (Al-Sadd)
- AT: Almoez Ali (Al-Duhail)
- AT: Mohammed Muntari (Al-Duhail)
- AT: Ahmed Alaaeldin (Al-Gharafa)
- AT: Khalid Muneer (Al-Wakrah)
- AT: Naif Al-Hadhrami (Al-Rayyan)
Qatar coach
Who is Qatar’s coach for the 2022 World Cup?
Since 2017, Qatar’s players have responded so well to Felix Sanchez and his forward-thinking, hands-on approach that the long-awaited arrival of an elite coach – many suspected Pep Guardiola, who had played in the country – has was never considered. Sanchez, himself a former Barcelona youth coach, has progressed through the Qatar age brackets with this team.
Qatar star player
Who is Qatar’s best player?
Akram Afif shakes things up for Qatar – his striker partner Almoez Ali broke records with nine goals in their historic 2019 Asian Cup victory, but the creative intelligence came from Afif and his 10 assists. A natural winger, the 25-year-old navigates the final third in search of space, and Qatar relies on his instinctive relationship with Ali.
How many players are Qatar allowed to bring to the 2022 World Cup?
National managers were allowed to bring 26 players to last summer’s European Championship for the first time at a major tournament, as a special measure introduced due to the COVID-19 pandemic – while the Last year’s Copa America allowed squads of 28 players.
It has now been announced that 26-man squads will return for the Qatar World Cup, an extension of the usual 23-man squads.
