Qatar's World Cup squad in 2022: Which players have been chosen to defend the home ground?

The world is eagerly awaiting the 2022 FIFA World Cup as it is the biggest football tournament, and this year's competition is the first held in the Arab world. It will be hosted in Qatar, whose national team automatically qualifies for the competition. The 2022 World Cup squad will aim to make their country shine during the competition for the first time.

Despite being assured of a place in the tournament, amid controversies, the AFC obliged the Maroons to participate in the Asian qualifiers, of which they are the defending champs. The players who competed to place their country in third place are in the 2022 Qatar World Cup squad.

Qatar's World Cup squad 2022

FIFA increased squad numbers from 23 to 26 in August 2022, and in November, Qatar's Football Association named the squad for the World Cup. The event will be the country's first participation in the tournament, and the world is eager to see how the hosts perform.

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Goalkeepers

Their main keeper is 32-year-old Saad Al Sheeb, who was named the Best Goalkeeper at the 2019 Asian Cup. He has been a regular in the national team since his debut in 2009.

Defenders

The defence has some talented naturalised players like Ro-Ro in their squad, who have raised concerns over the eligibility of players in the national team. Abdelkarim Hassan is one of the most capped, with 130 caps.

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Midfielders

The gulf squad consists of some great running talents. Some athletes like Mohammed Waad, born in Iraq, are naturalised citizens, bought for their immense skills.

Forwards

The nation's strikers and goal scorers consist of some spectacular athletes like Al Haydos, the current team captain, who is the most capped national team player. He is the most experienced player and will probably score World Cup goals for his team.

Qatar's World Cup roster

The hosts will play in group A alongside the Netherlands, Ecuador and Senegal. Their first match will be against Ecuador on 20 November at the Al Bayt stadium in Al Khor. Their next match will be against Senegal in Al Dhumama stadium in Doha on 25 November 2022. On 29 November, they will face the Netherlands national team in Al Khor.

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Should they excel in the first round of 16, they will advance to the quarter-finals, semi-finals, and then the finals, which will be played at the Lusail Iconic stadium on 18 December. This match will determine the winners of the entire tournament.

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Saad Al Sheeb

In an interview with Al-Jazeera in 2019, Al Sheeb expressed his desire to participate in the World Cup by saying:

"At present, my only dream is to represent Qatar at the 2022 World Cup."

He achieved his dream when he was named to the World Cup squad. With his fast reaction time, he will no doubt play a pivotal role in the games.

Abdelkarim Hassan

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The Al Sadd star has had some previous experience in Belgian leagues, making him one of the best Al Annabi talents. His excellent shots influenced Sanchez to include him in the three-man back defence alongside Hammam Al Amin.

Hassan Al Haydos

Famous for his last-minute winning goal against Japan in the 2008 Olympic qualifiers, Al Haydos is among the most influential players in the team and the most capped player in the squad, with 169 appearances since his debut in 2008.

Akram Afif

Like his father, Afif is a versatile winger who was voted the best player in the Qatar Stars League. Afif was also shortlisted as AFC's best player three times and won the coveted award in 2019. He was included in the 2022 squad despite losing form after an injury.

Almoez Ali

The Al-Duhail SC star was Al Annabi's top scorer in the 2021 Gold Cup and the 2019 Asian Cup. He is the only player worldwide who has scored in three separate continental championships and is one of the country's all-time top goal scorers.

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Who is the captain of Qatar's team this World Cup?

The Maroons are captained by Hassan Al-Haydos, who plays for Al-Sadd. The forward has played for the club since he was eight and was voted the best Qatari player in 2014. He has made 146 match appearances for the national team and scored 32 goals, making him the most-capped footballer in the gulf nation. The star was also part of the AFC Asian Cup Team of the Tournament in 2019.

Qatar's national team coach

Felix Sanchez has held the senior managerial position since 2017. The Spaniard began working for the QFA in 2013 as the U-19 team coach. He succeeded Jorge Fossati, who resigned inexplicably in June 2017. He led his team to win the AFC Asian Cup in 2019.

As the first Arab hosts of the most-awaited football tournament, Qatar's World Cup squad 2022 has a lot to prove to the world about the playing capabilities of the gulf nation. They compete to make their homeland shine, just as it did after getting the hosting opportunity.

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READ ALSO: Qatar's national football team: players, coach, FIFA world rankings, World Cup

Sportsbrief published an article about Qatar's national football team, including in-depth details about the players, coach and FIFA rankings. Did you know that the team was founded in 1960? Click on the link above to find out more about the Maroons.