Over a decade after their shock announcement as World Cup hosts, Qatar will finally get to have their say on the pitch this month, as they welcome the world to the first-ever Middle-Eastern finals.
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Having left no stone unturned, the Maroons will have spent several months training together before the action kicks off, and their primary aim is clear: escaping Group A.
Since surging to the Asian Cup title in 2019, the squad coached by Felix Sanchez have toured all parts of the globe in search of experience - playing numerous friendlies and guesting in both the Copa America and CONCACAF Gold Cup - but the next few weeks will determine the worth of the tiny nation's extraordinary scale of investment.
GROUP
Though still outsiders to progress to the knockout stages, Qatar will be convinced of their ability to do so, given a far-from-impossible group on their World Cup debut.
The pressure to perform will be most intense on the tournament's opening day, when the hosts take on Ecuador in Al Khor - a fixture recently brought forward some 24 hours by FIFA.
After tackling the South Americans on November 20, Qatar face African champions Senegal on November 25, in a game which could decide whether they remain in the competition.
That is because the Maroons must tackle Group A favourites Netherlands on the final day of their group campaign, to be played out on November 29.
FIXTURES
November 20: Qatar vs. Ecuador (4pm, Al Bayt Stadium, Al Khor)
November 25: Qatar vs. Senegal (1pm, Al Thumama Stadium, Doha)
November 29: Netherlands vs. Qatar (3pm, Al Bayt Stadium, Al Khor)
HOW THEY QUALIFIED
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As hosts, Qatar were exempt from the Asian qualifying process, from which they have never before emerged, and instead focused on sharpening their skills in a series of fixtures against teams far and wide.
Most notably, Serbia, Portugal and the Republic of Ireland were among their opponents as a non-competitive nation in the European qualifiers.
During that process, though, the Maroons were hit for four twice by the Serbians, conceded six versus Portugal across two games and also lost 4-0 in Dublin.
RECENT FORM
As the hosts' domestic league has been on hold since mid-September, head coach Felix Sanchez has been able to hold in-depth training camps, with the most recent taking place in Marbella.
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While there, Qatar have embarked on a surprising winning spree - beating Nicaragua, Guatemala, Honduras, Panama and Albania in successive warm-up games.
During recent months, too, friendlies against Canada, Chile and Jamaica have featured in the packed Qatari schedule, and though they lost 2-0 to fellow finalists Canada in October, a 2-2 draw with Chile saw them fight back to lead heading into the final 15 minutes - only Arturo Vidal's equaliser denied them a morale-boosting win.
Qatar kick off their campaign having not only played numerous exhibition games across the globe, but also reached the semi-finals of the 2021 Gold Cup, participated in the European World Cup qualifiers and made the final four of the Arab Cup this time last year.
They will, therefore, not lack competitive experience ahead of their exposure on the grandest stage of all.
SQUAD
The announcement we were waiting for ⏳😍
— Qatar Football Association (@QFA_EN) November 11, 2022
Introducing.. Felix Sanchez's Qatar national team squad for the 2022 World Cup 🏆
These are our heroes. And now, it's our TIME 💪🇶🇦#AllForAlAnnabi#ForTheLoveOfQatar pic.twitter.com/0ahwdE6L9p
Goalkeepers: Saad Al Sheeb (Al Sadd), Mishaal Barshim (Al Sadd), Youssef Hassan (Al-Gharafa)
Defenders: Pedro Miguel (Al-Sadd), Abdul Karim Hassan (Al-Sadd), Tariq Salman (Al-Sadd), Musab Khader (Al-Sadd), Hammam Al-Amin (Al-Gharafa), Bassam Al-Rawi (Al-Duhail), Boualem Khoukhi (Al-Sadd), Jassem Jaber (Al-Arabi)
Midfielders: Abdulaziz Hatem (Al-Rayyan), Muhammad Waad (Al Sadd), Ali Asad (Al Sadd), Salem Al Hajri (Al Sadd), Karim Boudiaf (Al-Duhail), Asim Madbo (Al-Duhail), Mustafa Tariq Mishaal (Al Sadd)
Forwards: Akram Afif (Al Sadd), Ahmed Alaa (Al-Gharafa), Muhammad Muntari (Al-Duhail), Hassan Al Haidos (Al Sadd), Ismail Muhammad (Al-Duhail), Khaled Munir (Al-Wakra), Almoez Ali (Al-Duhail), Nayef Al-Hadrami (Al-Rayyan)
STAR PLAYER - AKRAM AFIF
Long renowned as one of Asia's most able technicians, Akram Afif plays a crucial role in supporting Qatar's star striker Almoez Ali; boasting impressive pace and an ability to beat defenders of all shapes and sizes.
Labelled 'an unbelievable talent' and 'an amazing player' by former club coach Xavi - who should surely know about such matters - Afif plays as a winger for Qatari side Al Sadd, predominantly featuring on the left.
The highlight of his career so far was being named Asian Footballer of the Year in 2019, having starred in Qatar's Asian Cup triumph - without his wing wizardry, surely his nation would not have lifted the trophy. Registering 10 assists in all, that staggering tally set a new tournament record.
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In January 2015, the Doha-born star was signed by Belgian club Eupen, scoring on his debut, before setting up three of his side's five goals next time out.
Then, in 2016, a high-profile move to Villarreal was confirmed, as he became the first Qatari-born player in La Liga history. Afif was subsequently loaned to Sporting Gijon in a season-long deal and never played for 'The Yellow Submarine'.
While his European sojourn ultimately did not work out, there remains little doubt that Afif remains his nation's chief creator, and their hopes of upsetting the odds rest heavily on the 26-year-old's shoulders.
MANAGER - FELIX SANCHEZ
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One of many Catalan coaches to find themselves spreading the word in the far-flung reaches of the globe, Felix Sanchez has spent most of his career in Qatar.
A Barcelona youth coach, Sanchez moved to the Middle East in 2006 and joined the famed Aspire Academy, progressing through the ranks to eventually link up with the national youth teams.
After spells with the Under-20s and Under-23s, the 46-year-old replaced Uruguayan Jorge Fossati in charge of the senior side in 2017, going on to lead his adopted nation to unprecedented success in the 2019 Asian Cup.
Under his management, Qatar won all three group matches and each knockout game, then defied expectations with a 3–1 win over favourites Japan in the final. In the process, they found the net 19 times and conceded just once, which earned Sanchez a new contract through to this year's World Cup.
An avowed advocate of the 3-5-2 formation, Sanchez has chosen to keep his squad isolated from distractions in Spain for several weeks now. Whether that turns out to be a masterstroke in the manner of the similarly-prepared South Korea's surge to the 2002 semis, or perhaps a disaster, remains to be seen.
WORLD CUP RECORD
Best finish: Never qualified
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Qatar played their first World Cup qualifying fixture back in 1977, but they have never before featured at the global finals due to a long string of failures.
Their qualifying campaign for Italia '90 did see the Maroons finish top of their preliminary group, but they were denied a spot in the finals after finishing below the United Arab Emirates and South Korea in the final round.
Then, ahead of France '98, wins over China and Iran led to the Qataris playing out a decisive finale against Saudi Arabia - where victory would have earned qualification - but they lost out, as Saudi won 1-0 to reach the French finals instead.
In trying to reach Russia four years ago, Sanchez's side finished bottom of their final-round group; ensuring they would play their first World Cup match on home soil - becoming the first nation to do so since Italy in 1934.
PREDICTION
Also faced by the AFCON champions and one of Europe's top teams in Group A, Qatar are surely reliant upon victory on the opening day if they are to stoke dreams of a knockout-stage appearance on their World Cup debut.
However, Ecuador are battle-hardened from the intense South American qualifiers and, with some serious talent in their squad too, should not be underestimated.
For that reason, it is tough to see where the Maroons can accumulate enough points to contend for last-16 qualification, and they may even find themselves rock-bottom of a competitive group by its conclusion.
VERDICT: Fourth in Group A
Jonathan O'Shea
