Julen Lopetegui took charge of the national team training for the first time on Sunday and will be on the touchline next week against Iran.
Qatar’s new head coach Julen Lopetegui has said he wants to focus on the immediate World Cup Qualifier fixtures to build momentum ahead of the FIFA Arab Cup in December, draws for which were held in Doha on Sunday.
The Spaniard will be on Qatar’s touchline for the first time against Iran on June 5, the penultimate fixture in the third qualifying round for the 2026 World Cup. The national team will then face Uzbekistan in Tashkent five days later.
“The long-term vision, for now, is the 5th of June,” Lopetegui said when asked by Doha News on the sidelines of the draw. “Then, it will be the 10th of June, that’s how football works.”
The idea will be to “get ready” by the time the Arab Cup comes to the Qatari capital, Lopetegui said. Qatar were handed a relatively formidable draw, grouped along reigning runners-up Tunisia and winners of each of the qualifiers between Syria-South Sudan and Palestine-Libya.
“There are no easy groups in football today; that is a thing from the past. All the teams are more balanced tactically and physically. For sure it is going to be difficult for all the teams, but we will be ready,” he said.
The former Spain and Real Madrid head coach was roped in to lead a Qatari side that has failed to live up to expectations following their Asian Cup 2023 win, on a two-year deal.
Qatar currently sit fourth in Group A and will now have to follow the indirect route to next year’s North American tournament. In the process, Bartolome Marquez Lopez and Luis Garcia have coached the side with Lopetegui replacing the latter.
Hence, the expectations on the new head coach are not only to steady the ship and secure Asian champions’ spot at the World Cup but also to lead a smooth transition that the team is currently undergoing.
Lopetegui, however, insisted on taking things one at a time with his eyes fixed on the immediate fixtures. The squad, which trained under the Spaniard for the first time also on Sunday, was chosen with that in consideration, he added.
“We chose the list based on the next two matches,” he told a group of reporters. “There may be players with some little injuries, so we’ll have to be aware of that. We’re happy with the squad and the group.”
While Lopetegui’s first squad consists of a regular core of players, plenty have been awarded for their performances in the later phase of the domestic season.
Al Duhail duo Bassam Al-Rawi and Karim Boudiaf as well as Al Ahli’s Abdelrahman Mustafa have returned to the squad. Al Shamal midfielder Mohammed Al-Mannai and Al Gharafa winger Amro Surag were rewarded for their stellar recent performances with the call-up.
“We have a very balanced squad with players of different playing styles,” Lopetegui said of the 27-man squad, declining to comment on individuals.
“We have to be able to work with them and fill the energy around the group ahead of all these matches.” While not easy, a win against Iran is still possible, he added.
Qatar’s 27-man squad
Goalkeepers
Meshaal Barsham (Al Sadd), Salah Zakaria (Al Duhail), Saad Al-Sheeb (Al Sadd)
Defenders
Ahmed Suhail (Al Sadd), Boualem Khoukhi (Al Sadd), Bassam Al-Rawi (Al Duhail), Tareq Salman (Al Sadd), Hazem Ahmed (Al Rayyan), Pedro Miguel (Al Sadd), Abdullah Yousef (Al Gharafa), Homam Ahmed (Al Duhail).
Midfielders
Ahmed Fathy (Al Arabi), Abdelrahman Mustafa (Al Ahli), Jassem Jaber (Al Arabi), Karim Boudiaf (Al Duhail), Abdulaziz Hatem (Al Rayyan), Asim Madibo (Al Gharafa), Mostafa Mashal (Al Sadd), Mohammed Al-Mannai (Al Shamal).
Forwards
Akram Afif (Al Sadd), Ahmed Al-Rawi (Al Rayyan), Ahmed Al-Ganehi (Al Gharafa), Almoez Ali (Al Duhail), Ismail Mohammed (Al Duhail), Amro Surag (Al Gharafa), Mohammed Muntari (Al Gharafa), Edmilson Junior (Al Duhail).
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