Qatar National Football Team
The Qatar National Football Team is composed of the best soccer players from Qatar. They represent the Qatar Football Association, who is the host nation of the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Read on to learn more about the Qatar National Football Team, including their history and other interesting facts.
Qatar National Football Team
The Qatar National Football Team represents the Qatar Football Association in international tournaments, continental tournaments, and international friendly matches. Their first appearance at the FIFA World Cup is in 2022, as they are hosting the tournament. However, the Qatar National Football Team has played in ten Asian Cups and won one in 2019.
Basic Info:
- Nickname: The Maroon
- Association: Qatar Football Association (QFA)
- Confederation: Asian Football Confederation (AFC)
- Head coach: Félix Sánchez
- Home Stadium: Various
- FIFA code: QAT
- World Cup Appearances: 1 (first in 2022)
- Best World Cup Result: N/A
Social Media:
2022 World Cup Roster
| NAME | POS |
|---|---|
| Saad Al-Sheeb | G |
| Yousof Hassan | G |
| Meshaal Barsham | G |
| Pedro Miguel | D |
| Abdelkarim Hassan | D |
| Tarek Salman | D |
| Musaab Khidir | D |
| Homam Ahmed | D |
| Bassam Al-Rawi | D |
| Boualem Khoukhi | D |
| Salem Al-Hajri | D |
| Jassem Abdulsallam | D |
| Mohammed Waad | M |
| Abdulaziz Hatem | M |
| Ali Asad | M |
| Karim Boudiaf | M |
| Ismail Mohamad | M |
| Assim Madibo | M |
| Naif Al Hadhrami | M |
| Moustafa Tarek | M |
| Ahmed Alaaeldin | F |
| Mohammed Muntari | F |
| Hassan Al-Haydos | F |
| Akram Afif | F |
| Khalid Muneer | F |
| Almoez Ali | F |
History
The Qatar Football Association joined FIFA in 1963, and the National Football Team played its first official match in 1970, losing 1-2 to Bahrain. They played their first FIFA World Cup qualification matches in 1977, losing three and winning one. The Qatar National Team has not qualified for a FIFA World Cup in its history through qualification, but will play in the 2022 edition as the host nation.
Outside of the FIFA World Cup, the Qatar National Football Team has won one AFC Asian Cup and has made the tournament ten times. Their first qualification came in 1980, and their lone win came in 2019.
Rivalries
Qatar’s main rivalry is with the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Since both countries declared freedom from Britain’s rule, their teams have been mostly friendly rivals. The first match against one another was in 1972 at the Arabian Gulf Cup, where the UAE team barely won 1-0. Though this rivalry has been tamer than most, it has increased as political tensions rose in the region. After Qatar defeated the United Arab Emirates team in the 2019 AFC Asian Cup, UAE fans even threw shoes at Qatar’s national team and rushed the field once the game was over.
Kits
The traditional home kit of the Qatar national team is a set of maroon shirts and maroon shorts with small white stripes at the edges. As is traditional with most national teams, Qatar’s uniforms are based on the modern flag which is mostly maroon with a small white section. The team’s away uniforms are meanwhile white with maroon accents. This is why a popular nickname for the team is “The Maroon.”
Fun Facts
- The Qatar national team has never qualified for the World Cup through the traditional qualification process.
- Qatar’s first World Cup appearance will be in 2022, as the host nation.
- The team won the 2019 AFC Asian Cup with a total nine goals scored, a record for the tournament.
- Qatar is one of the younger national football teams, joining FIFA in 1963 and playing their first official match in 1970.
FAQ
Has Qatar Ever Won The World Cup?
No, Qatar has never won the FIFA World Cup. In fact, the Qatar national team has never even played in the tournament. Despite decent showings in the AFC Asian Cup, Qatar has never made it past the final stages of qualifying rounds. The 2022 World Cup will be their first time playing, as they are guaranteed a spot as the host nation.
Who Is Qatar’s Best Player?
Qatar’s best all-time player is Almoez Ali. As a powerhouse striker, he is tied for the most all-time scores in the team’s near forty-year history. In his aggressive leadership of the team’s offense, Ali is most well-known for leading the Qatar national team to victory at the 2019 AFC Asian Cup. In the competition, he scored nine goals, the most ever scored in AFC Asian Cup history.
Who Is Qatar’s All Time Scorer?
The two all-time scorers for Qatar are Mansour Muftah and Almoez Ali. During their careers with the team, both players scored an impressive 42 goals on the international pitch. While Muftah is long-retired, Ali is a current player and will likely surpass Muftah to become the sole holder of this title.