We’ve to enjoy the game, says Qatar legend Salman as host nation announces squad

Mohammad Amin

DOHA: Reigning Asian champions Qatar named their 26-man final squad for FIFA World Cup on Friday.

Head coach Felix Sanchez, who guided a talented U19 team to their maiden Asian title in 2014, will have his task cut out in the mega football event.

FIFA World Cup starts on 20 November with the hosts taking on Ecudor at the Al Bayt Stadium.

13 players from defending Qatar Stars League champion Al Sadd were named inAl Annabi’s squad for the World Cup.

“We are the Asian champions. We have to enjoy the game and the result will come,” said former Qatari star and one of the SC Brand Ambassadors Khaled Salman.  

Qatar won the World Cup bidding in 2010 and thereafter went full throttle to prepare the squad, with the U19 Asian title in Myanmar in 2014 gave the host nation the momentum to lay the foundation of a talented squad.

Experienced attacking midfielder Hassan Al Haidous, who has played a large part of his football career at Al Sadd, will captain the squad.

Sanchez’s squad has a mix of experience and exuberance, but it remains to bee seen how they come up against strong opponents like the Netherlands, African champions Senegal and Ecuador in Group A.

Badr Bilal, one of the Qatari legends from the 1981 FIFA World Youth Championship, said about the current players are tough and gritty.

“Our players are fighters. The team has good players, but one think I must tell here that World Cup is very difficult,” said Bilal.

Midfielder Abdelrahman Mustafa, who was included in the list of 27 players by Sanchez before Al Annabi’s third and final training camp in Spain, was dropped. 

Qatar will take on Senegal on November 25 and face the Netherlands, four days later.