FIFA Arab Cup: Teams announce squads
DOHA: All 16 teams participating in the FIFA Arab Cup 2021 have announced their squads on Thursday.
The competition starts on November 30 with two matches scheduled on the opening day.
A total of 368 players are expected to take part with some big names called-up to compete in Qatar to lift the coveted trophy at the highly-anticipated final at Al Bayt Stadium on 18 December.
The hosts will be looking to continue their success in recent years.
The reigning Asian champions will be relying on several players who won the Asian title two years ago. It was their first major international trophy.
Top scorer Almoez Ali, captain Hassan Al Haydos and the 2019 AFC Player of the Year Akram Afif will all feature.
African champions Algeria are also not short of well-known names as their squad includes Yacine Brahimi and El Arabi Soudani, who both played at the 2014 FIFA World Cup, along with Qatar-based Baghdad Bounedjah, scorer of the winning goal in the 2019 African Cup of Nations.
Tunisia will arrive in Doha with an experienced squad that includes players who featured at the last FIFA World Cup in Russia; Farouk Ben Mustapha, Yassine Meriah, Fakhreddine Ben Youssef, Ali Maaloul, Ferjani Sassi and Naim Sliti.
Carlos Queiroz’s Egypt will meanwhile rely on the vast experience of top goalkeeper Mohamed El Shenawy.
There will be plenty of other stars that fans will be able to watch playing across the six stadiums including UAE’s Ali Mabkhout and Ismail Matar, former FIFA U-20 World Cup adidas Golden Ball winner, in addition to Syria’s top striker Omar Al Soma and Feras Al Brikan of Saudi Arabia.