Julen Lopetegui names his Qatar squad for FIFA World Cup 2026
Qatar manager Julen Lopetegui has announced his 26-man squad for FIFA World Cup 2026.
Having left the Spanish national team on the eve of FIFA World Cup 2018, former Real Madrid boss Julen Lopetegui will finally coach at a FIFA World Cup and he has named his 26-man Qatar squad for this summer.
Closing in on 200 caps, 35-year-old attacker Hassan Al Haydos remains a key man for the Qataris, alongside fellow experienced attackers Akram Afif and Almoez Ali.
As well as those three, Qatar also boast a fair few other players with over 100 caps, such as midfield duo Abdulaziz Hatem and Karim Boudiaf. Boualem Khoukhi is also a part of that club with Pedro Miguel set to join them either in their pre-tournament warm-up matches or during the group stages.
All but one of their players play in the Qatar Stars League with the man that plays his football abroad being defender Homam Ahmed, who plays for Cultural Leonoesa – who were relegated from La Liga 2 this season.
There are quite a few notable absentees with Tarek Salman perhaps the most surprising omission, alongside fellow defender Bassam Al Rawi and former Doncaster Rovers defender Niall Mason.
42-year-old Uruguayan-born Sebastian Soria, who has represented Qatar since 2007 and has over 100 caps for the Qataris is also one of the 29 players who have been cut from their 55-man provisional squad.
