Lopetegui is supposed to lead Qatar to the 2026 World Cup - big challenge expected!
Lopetegui is supposed to lead Qatar to the 2026 World Cup - big challenge expected!
Julen Lopetegui is the new national soccer coach from Qatar. The 58-year-old Spaniard signed a two-year contract by 2027 and follows the footsteps of the previously responsible Luis García. Lopetegui will make his debut as a coach of the Qatar National Team on June 5 in the World Cup qualification game against Iran, followed by an away game against Uzbekistan five days later.
The main goal for Lopetegui is clear: He should lead Qatar to the World Cup finals in 2026 in the three North American countries USA, Canada and Mexico. This would be a premiere because Qatar has never qualified for a world championship. The team currently occupies fourth place in group 1 with 10 points in the current qualification round and has no way of suppressing Iran (22 points) and Uzbekistan (17 points) from the safe qualification places. The fourth place entitles Qatar to move into the next round against the third and fourth place places in the other groups.
background and history of the trainer
lopetegui comes into office with a rich experience after recently coach at West Ham United, where his term of office only lasted less than six months. Previously, he trained in English football Wolverhampton and FC Sevilla, with whom he won the Europa League. As a Spanish national coach, he experienced a turbulent period in which he was released in Russia two days before the first World Cup game in 2018 because he had negotiated with Real Madrid without permission. At Real Madrid, his term was over after only 14 competitive games.
his predecessor, Luis García, had looked after the team in five games since December after he was a co-coach of the previous coach Tintín Márquez. García took over the coaching office after Félix Sánchez had run the team during the 2022 home championship, where Katar had run as the weakest host in the preliminary round. This change of coach is part of a number of Spanish coaches that have influenced the Qatarian national team since 2017. The continuity in the coaching was only briefly interrupted by Carlos Queiroz.
Current challenges and qualification situation
The current qualification round is a special challenge. Qatar must be successful in the upcoming playoffs in order to realize its World Cup dreams. The team has the opportunity to fight the next round against the third and fourth from other groups. The group winners qualify directly for the World Cup, while the second place in other games have to strive for the intercontinental playoffs.
In view of the last defeat against Kyrgyzstan 1: 3, Lopetegui faces the task of stabilizing the team as quickly as possible and preparing strongly for the upcoming games. With the support of experienced players and a clear strategy, Qatar, under the new trainer, could make the leap on the international stage.The next few months will be crucial to see whether Lopetegui is able to successfully conduct the Qatarian national team and possibly write history.
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