Qatar Coach Lopetegui Unveils Squad Built on Asian Champions’ Core
Lopetegui kept a familiar core and named nine forwards, including Akram Afif and Almoez Ali, as Qatar prepare for North America.
- On Monday, Qatar coach Julen Lopetegui named his World Cup squad, selecting nine forwards including two-time Asian Player of the Year Akram Afif and all-time top scorer Almoez Ali to lead the Asian champions.
- Qatar aims to move beyond a disappointing 2022 campaign on home soil, having quietly rebuilt momentum by retaining the Asian Cup and qualifying for the World Cup on merit for the first time.
- The squad remains largely shaped by the Aspire Academy system, retaining a familiar core including defender Pedro Miguel, goalkeeper Meshaal Barsham, and midfielders Assim Madibo, Abdulaziz Hatem, and Karim Boudiaf.
- On June 13, Qatar will face Switzerland in Santa Clara, followed by co-hosts Canada in Vancouver on June 18 and Bosnia and Herzegovina in Seattle six days later.
- Questions persist regarding whether the domestic-league-heavy roster can compete with elite opposition, following uneven preparations that included a surprise Arab Cup exit and cancelled friendlies against Serbia and Argentina.
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There's only one legionnaire in the squad of the first Swiss World Cup opponent. There's a lot of routine for that.
Channel News Asia
The Straits TimesQatar coach Lopetegui unveils squad built on Asian champions’ core
June 1 : - Qatar coach Julen Lopetegui named nine forwards, including two-time Asian Player of the Year Akram Afif and the country's all-time top scorer Almoez Ali, in his World Cup squad on Monday, as the Asian champions prepare for a tournament that could redefine their standing on the global stage.Qatar he
Qatar’s selection faces its second participation in such a wide-ranging competition in this 2026 World Cup. Asians were already present in 2022, but they acceded to the World Cup as hosts, so we are talking about the fact that on this occasion they have achieved their ticket for the tournament on their own merits and a great importance in this milestone has been played by a Spaniard, as we have to remember that Julen Lopetegui is the Qatari sele…
Qatar coach Lopetegui unveils squad built on Asian champions' core ...
Qatar 2026 FIFA World Cup Roster
The 2026 FIFA World Cup begins on June 11 with 48 teams vying for a championship. Teams are releasing their rosters now as the event is approaching. Here is the Qatar 2026 FIFA World Cup Roster. Goalkeepers Mahmud Abunada (Al-Rayyan) Salah Zakaria (Al-Duhail) Meshaal Barsham (Al-Sadd) Defenders Pedro Miguel (Al-Sadd) Lucas Mendes (Al-Wakrah) Issa Laye (Al-Arabi) Ayoub Al-Oui (Al-Gharafa) Homam Ahmed (Clutural Leonesa) Boualem Khoukhi (Al-Sadd)…
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