The Qatar National Football Team - Getting to Know the Al Annabi Boys
All things being equal, the current squad of the Qatar national football team, comprising most of the players from the triumphant 2019 AFC (Asian Football Confederation) Cup, are expected to form the nucleus of the team for Qatar's 2022 FIFA World Cup campaign.
The current team is regarded as one of the best-assembled in its history. It consists of numerous young players who have been playing together for close to six years – dating back to the 2014 AFC U-19 Championships. In addition, the team is home to several more experienced players like team captain Hassan Al Haydous, the most capped player with 131 international appearances, 2018 Asian Player of the Year, Abdelkarim Hassan, and 32-year-old Ali Afif.
The Al Annabi team, as they are known locally, has a pool of players with an average age of 25.9 years. The players are largely contracted to Qatar-based clubs although one of the leading stars, Akram Afif - who currently plays as a forward for Qatari club Al Sadd - is on loan from Spanish-side Villarreal.
The team is currently managed by Barcelona-born coach Félix Sánchez, 44, who is arguably one of the most successful coaches in Qatar's history. His impressive record includes leading the team to its first continental title in 2019, as well as winning the 2014 AFC U-19 Championship, and a third-place finish at the 2018 AFC U-23 Championship among others. Sanchez started his career in Qatar at Aspire Academy, Doha's premier sports academy, in 2006 as a youth coach. Later he trained Qatar's youth national teams before becoming the national team coach in 2017. Many of the players in the current national squad were tutees of Sanchez during his time at Aspire and part of his youth teams. The strength of the relationship between manager and players, and the players themselves, is clear to see in the successes the team have had and their playing style - great link ups and quick passes.
With Qatar playing at the World Cup for the first time and on home soil, players like Almoez Ali, Akram Afif, Saad Abdullah Al Sheeb and Al Haydos, who were at the core of last year's Asian Cup triumph, are tipped to shine and have outstanding outing come 2022.
Projecting into the future, up and coming stars like Al Sadd's Hashim Ali Abdullatif and Abdulrasheed Umaru Ibrahim, hailed as one of the most promising talents of the Qatari football, are likely to make the team. The duo were the standout players for Qatar at the 2020 AFC U-23 Championships in Thailand, despite the muted performance of the team at the tournament.
Here is a look at the bio and stats of the current squad, as per the Qatar Football Association lineup, as the preparation for the most significant event to be held in Qatar continues.
| Name | Position | Club |
|---|
| Saad Abdullah Al Sheeb | Goalkeeper | Al Sadd |
| Mohammed Al Bakri | Goalkeeper | Al Shahania |
| Yussef Hassan | Goalkeeper | Al Gharafa |
| Abdelkarim Hassan | Defender | Al Sadd |
| Tarek Salman | Defender | Al Sadd |
| Tameem Al Muhaz | Defender | Al Gharafa |
| Al Mahdi Ali Mukhtar | Defender | Al Sadd |
| Pedro Miguel | Defender | Al Sadd |
| Khoukhi Boualem | Defender | Al Sadd |
| Bassam Al Rawi | Defender | Al Duhail |
| Abdulaziz Hatim | Midfielder | Al Rayyan |
| Assim Madibo | Midfielder | Al Duhail |
| Ahmad Fathi | Midfielder | Al Arabi |
| Ahmad Moein | Midfielder | Qatar SC |
| Karim Boudiaf | Midfielder | Al Duhail |
| Salem Al Hajri | Midfielder | Al Sadd |
| Abdallah Al Ahraq | Midfielder | Al Ahli |
| Ali Afif | Forward | Al Duhail |
| Ahmad Alaaeldin | Forward | Al Gharafa |
| Almoez Ali | Forward | Al Duhail |
| Akram Afif | Forward | Al Sadd |
| Hassan Al Haydos | Forward | Al Sadd |
Goalkeepers
There are three goalkeepers in the Qatar National Team with Al Sadd’s Saad Abdullah Al Sheeb the keeper of choice. Julius Büscher, a former FC Köln II goalkeeper, is the current goalkeeping coach of the team.
Here’s the biodata for the team’s current goalkeepers:
1. Saad Abdullah Al Sheeb
Born:
19th February 1990 (age 30)
Height:
1.85m
Main Position:
Goalkeeper
Current Team:
Al Sadd, Qatar
Saad Abdullah Al Sheeb is currently the national team's number one goalkeeper. He joined the squad in 2009 but made his debut as a substitute during a friendly match against Slovenia in 2010. Since then he has made over 50 appearances for the team, and he was the man between the sticks when Qatar earned its maiden continental trophy, the AFC Asian Cup, in 2019.
Al Sheeb was almost unbeatable throughout Qatar's historic campaign at the Asian Cup tournament. He helped his side become the first team to reach the final with six successive clean sheets to their name. The team conceded only one goal throughout the tournament, during the Final with Japan. Indeed, Al Sheeb's impressive record saw him awarded the tournament's 'Golden Glove'.
Al Sheeb is currently the top goalkeeper at Al Sadd – a club he joined in 2011 from rival Qatari club, Al Sailiya.
His achievements to date include winning the 2019 AFC Asian Cup and the 2011 AFC Champions League, the 2014 Arabian Gulf Cup, and the 2014 WAFF (West Asian Football Federation) Championships. He is also a two-time winner of the Qatar Stars League.
2. Mohammed Al Bakri
Born:
28th March 1997 (age 23)
Height:
1.81m
Main Position:
Goalkeeper
Current Team:
Al Shahania, Qatar (on loan from Al Duhail, Qatar)
Mohammed Al Bakri is the national team's second-choice goalkeeper. The Qatari player has to date made two appearances for the national squad. He made his debut for the team in an international friendly match against Syria in 2018, and he was in goal when Qatar defeated Singapore 2-0 in another friendly match in 2019. He was also part of the 2019 AFC Asian Cup-winning team and the 2019 Copa America squad.
Al Bakri currently plays for Al Shahania which he joined on loan from Al Duhail in 2019. Since joining Al Duhail in 2015, he has gained experience in Europe on loan to Austria's SPG FC Pasching/LASK Juniors, and to Belgian's Eupen FC.
3. Yussef Hassan
Born:
24th May 1996 (age 24)
Height:
1.86m
Main Position:
Goalkeeper
Current Team:
Al Gharafa, Qatar
Yussef Hassan is the national team's third-choice goalkeeper. The Aspire Academy graduate was, on his debut for the team at 22 years, 3 months and 14 days, one of the youngest goalkeepers to ever play for the national team. He made his debut in 2018 during a 1-0 win against China in an international friendly match. Hassan has since played in goal four more times for the team - all in friendly matches.
Hassan has also played for the national team's youth set up and was in charge of the goal during the 2014 AFC Under-19 Championships in Myanmar - the Qatari U19s team emerged continental champions.
Currently playing for Qatari team, Al Gharafa, Hassan was formerly on loan with Belgian KAS Eupen from 2015 to 2016.
Defenders
The Qatar National Team currently boasts one of the strongest defences on the Asian continent having conceded just one goal en route their victory at the 2019 AFC Asian Cup. Left-back Abdelkarim Hassan is in charge at the rear, and he is ably supported most of the time by three other players in the team’s preferred 4-3-3 formation.
Below is the biodata for the team’s current defenders:
1. Abdelkarim Hassan
Born
28th August 1993 (age 26)
Height:
1.86m
Main Position:
Left Back
Current Team:
Al Sadd, Qatar
Abdelkarim Hassan is one of the Qatar National Team's veterans having made his debut in an international friendly against Haiti in 2010. Kimo, as the '2018 AFC Player of the Year' is fondly called, has made more than 90 appearances for the national team, and has found the back of the net on almost 20 occasions.
The 2011 Aspire Academy graduate is said to be one of the best left-backs in Qatari football's history. He is the youngest player ever to win the AFC Champions League when he did so with Al Sadd in 2011 at age 17. He was also in the winning squads at the 2014 WAFF Championships, the 2014 Gulf Cup and the 2019 Asian Cup - where he scored one of the winning goals against North Korea.
Hassan currently plays for Qatari club, Al Sadd. He went on loan to KAS Eupen during the 2017/2018 season where he featured in both the Belgium Pro League and Belgium Cup.
Image: Celso Pupo/Shutterstock.com
2. Tarek Salman
Born:
5th December 1997 (age 22)
Height:
1.79m
Main Position:
Centre Back/Defensive Midfielder
Current Team:
Al Sadd, Qatar
Tarek Salman is a utility player who can competently play either as a centre back, defensive midfielder or central midfielder. He made his debut with the senior national team in 2017 and has to date appeared over 30 times with the squad, including at the 2019 AFC Asian Cup.
Salman started his youth career as a striker with Qatari club, Al Wakrah before joining Aspire Academy for the 2008–09 season. During his time at Aspire, he switched roles to play in defence. He gained experience in his new role at Qatari club, Al Duhail (formally Lekhwiya SC) and at Spanish clubs Deportivo Alavés and Real Sociedad C.
He began his senior career in 2016 playing for another Spanish team, Cultural Leonesa. He currently plays for Al Sadd, a club he joined after a loan spell with Spain's Atlético Astorga in 2017.
Image: Celso Pupo/Shutterstock.com
3. Tameem Al Muhaza
Born:
21st July 1996 (age 23)
Height:
1.77m
Main Position:
Right Back
Current Team:
Al Gharafa, Qatar
Tameem Al Muhaza made his national debut in 2019. He came on as a 90th-minute substitute for Pedro Miguel in Qatar's 4-0 demolition of the UAE at the semi-final of the 2019 AFC Asian Cup. He was also in the squad at the 2019 Copa America.
Al Muhaza graduated from Qatar’s Aspire Programme and played for youth team Atlético Madrid before beginning his senior career at Al Gharafa in 2015. He was part of the winning team at the AFC U19 Championship in 2014.
The 23-year-old currently plays for Qatari team, Al-Gharafa where he anchors the right-back. He was loaned to Cultural Leonesa in 2015.
Image: Celso Pupo/Shutterstock.com
4. Al Mahdi Ali Mukhtar
Born:
2nd March 1992 (age 28)
Height:
1.85m
Main Position:
Centre Back
Current Team:
Al Gharafa, Qatar
Al Mahdi Ali Mukhtar joined his current club Al Gharafa in 2015. The centre-back made his national team debut in 2012, during an international friendly between Qatar and Egypt. He became the sixth Aspire Academy graduate to play for the senior side. Currently, he has over 30 caps for the national team and has netted three goals.
Al Mahdi was on the team when they won the 2014 WAFF Championships, the 2014 Gulf Cup and the 2019 Asian Cup.
Before joining Al Gharafa, Al Mahdi was previously with Al Sadd - a team he joined from Aspire Academy in 2009. Al Mahdi was part of the Al Sadd team that won the AFC Champions League in 2011 and the 2012-13 Qatar Stars League.
5. Pedro Miguel
Born:
6th August 1990 (age 29)
Height:
1.88m
Main Position:
Centre Back
Current Team:
A Sadd, Qatar
Popularly known as Ró-Ró, Pedro Miguel is one of Qatar's most dependable central defenders. Ró-Ró made his international career debut with Qatar in 2016 at the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifiers. Since then, he has made over 50 appearances for the team scoring one goal. He was part of the 2019 Asian Cup squad, where he played in every match and the 2019 Copa America team. He has also been part of the 2022 World Cup qualifying squad.
Ró-Ró started his playing career in Qatar with Al Ahli Club in 2011. Previously, he played for several Portuguese clubs, including Benfica, during his youth and early senior career. He was part of the Al Ahli team for five years before moving to Al Sadd (his current club) in 2016.
Image: Celso Pupo/Shutterstock.com
6. Khoukhi Boualem
Born:
7th September 1990 (age 29)
Height:
1.83m
Main Position:
Centre Back
Current Team:
Al Sadd, Qatar
Khoukhi Boualem plays as a centre back both for the Qatari team, Al Sadd and the national team. Boualem made his official international debut with Qatar at the 2014 WAFF Championship against Palestine. He made his mark that tournament scoring a total of six goals, including the two goals that won the Final against Jordan. He was the top goal scorer of the competition. Currently, he has over 60 caps for the national team and has scored almost 20 goals. He was a member of the squad that won the 2019 AFC Asian Cup, scoring two goals, one against North Korea and one against the UAE in the semi-finals.
Boualem is currently signed with Qatari team, Al Sadd. Before joining Al Sadd in 2017, Boualem was with rival team Al Arabi - a club he joined from Algeria's JSM Chéraga in 2009.
Image: Celso Pupo/Shutterstock.com
7. Bassam Al Rawi
Born:
16th December 1997 (age 22)
Height:
1.75m
Main Position:
Centre Back
Current Team:
Al Duhail, Qatar
Bassam Al Rawi is one of the youngest players in the Qatar National Team. Having played for the Under 23 team, he made his international debut for the senior side in 2017 in an international friendly against the Czech Republic. Al Rawi played an active role in Qatar's victory at the 2019 AFC Asian Cup, he scored against Lebanon and the deciding goal against Iraq, which allowed his team to reach the quarter-finals.
The centre back, who has to date 21 international caps and two goals, currently plays for Qatari club, Al Duhail - a team he joined in 2017. Before joining Al Duhail, he was with Al Rayyan, though loaned to KAS Eupen Res. and Spain's Celta U19 club during his time with them.
Midfielders
The Qatar National Team’s most successful outing to date, the 2019 AFC Asian Cup, involved the participation of seven midfielders who dazzled the continent with their skills. The players effectively took control of the midfield and supplied the necessary passes for the unprecedented nineteen goals scored by the team at the tournament.
Here’s a look at the biodata for the team’s current midfielders:
1. Abdulaziz Hatim
Born:
28th October 1990 (age 29)
Height:
1.84m
Main Position:
Central Midfielder
Current Team:
Al Rayyan, Qatar
Abdulaziz Hatim made his Qatar National Team debut in 2009, during the 9th International Friendship Tournament in a match against North Korea. With almost 70 caps and three goals in his kitty, Hatim was one of the standout players at the last AFC Asian Cup in the UAE. He scored twice in the tournament, once in the quarter-finals against South Korea and again in the Final against Japan. He was also part of the winning team at the 2014 WAFF (West Asian Football Federation) Championships and the 2014 Gulf Cup.
The Al Rayyan Club central midfielder started his professional career with Al Arabi in 2007 before moving to Al Gharafa in 2015. From Al Gharafa he joined The Lions in the summer of 2019.
2. Assim Madibo
Born:
22nd October 1996 (age 23)
Height:
1.68m
Main Position:
Defensive Midfielder
Current Team:
Al Duhail, Qatar
Assim Madibo, a 2015 graduate of the Aspire Academy, is a versatile player, he can be deployed either in the central midfield, defensive midfield or as a right-back. He made his national team debut in December 2017, and he has so far featured on over 20 occasions. He played for the national youth squad and was part of the winning team at the 2014 AFC U19s Championships. He was also part of the 2019 AFC Asian Cup team and the 2019 Copa America Squad.
Madibo started his senior career at Austrian club, LASK and has also played for FC Pasching, Cultural Leonesa, KAS Eupen (on loan) and Al Gharafa (on loan). He currently plays for Al Duhail, a club he joined in the summer of 2016.
3. Ahmed Fathi
Born:
25th January 1993 (age 27)
Height:
1.71m
Main Position:
Central Midfielder
Current Team:
Al Arabi, Qatar
Ahmed Fathi made his debut for the Qatar National Team in 2017 in an international friendly against Liechtenstein. He has, so far, worn the maroon-coloured jersey on over ten occasions. He was part of the cup winning team at the 2019 AFC Asian Cup.
Fathi currently plays for Al Arabi club as a central midfielder; he joined the team in 2011. Domestically, he was part of the team that finished as runners-up in the 2012-13 QSL Cup.
4. Ahmad Moein
Born:
20th October 1995 (age 24)
Height:
1.72m
Main Position:
Defensive Midfielder
Current Team:
Qatar Sports Club, Qatar (on loan from Al Duhail, Qatar)
Ahmad Moein was part of the squad that brought the U-19 national team to victory in Myanmar at the 2014 AFC U19 Championships. He made his debut for the national team in 2017 in an international friendly against Liechtenstein.
Moein currently plays for Qatar Sports Club on loan from Al Duhail. In 2015, the former Aspire graduate and Cultural Leonesa player was awarded the Asian Young Footballer of the Year by the AFC.
5. Karim Boudiaf
Born:
16th September 1990 (age 29)
Height:
1.87m
Main Position:
Defensive Midfielder
Current Team:
Al Duhail, Qatar
Karim Boudiaf started playing for the national team in 2014 during a friendly match with Estonia which Qatar won 3:0. The defensive midfielder is one of the veterans of the team with over 70 caps; he has so far scored five goals for the team. He was part of the 2019 AFC Asian Cup team and the Copa America squad in the same year.
Currently playing for Al Duhail, he was part of the winning Lekhwiya squad at the 2016-17 Qatar Stars League before its rebranding to Al Duhail. He signed for Al Duhail in 2010, before which he played for French clubs, Nancy and Lorient.
6. Salem Al Hajri
Born:
10th April 1996 (age 24)
Height:
1.80m
Main Position:
Central Midfielder
Current Team:
Al Sadd, Qatar
Salem Al Hajri joined the national team in 2017 and was part of the nation's 2019 AFC Asian Cup and Copa America squads. He was a member of the team that won the 2014 AFC U-19 Championship, and he also featured at the 2015 FIFA U-20 World Cup in New Zealand. He can play either as defender or midfielder, but he is mostly deployed as a central midfielder for the national team.
Harji currently plays for Al-Sadd senior team, which he joined in 2016. As a youth player, Hajri played for Al Sadd and KAS Eupen. He is also a winner of the Qatar Stars League with Al Sadd.
7. Abdalla Al Ahraq
Born:
10th May 1997 (age 23)
Height:
1.75m
Main Position:
Attacking Midfielder
Current Team:
Al Ahli, Qatar (on loan from Al Duhail, Qatar)
Abdallah Al Ahraq made his international debut for Qatar in 2017, during a 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification match against China. To date, he has seven caps and one goal to his credit - scored at the 24th Arabian Cup against Yemen. He was part of the 2019 Copa America and, as a youth player, was part of the winning squad at the 2014 AFC U19 tournament.
Al Ahraq currently plays as a midfielder for Qatari team, Al Ahli on loan from Al-Duhail.
Forwards
The current Qatari national football squad has within its ranks some of their most prolific goal scorers in the team's history - a fact sealed when they booted 19 balls to the back of the net during the 2019 AFC Asian Cup competition. The team has among its line-up hot-shot Almoez Ali, the Asian record holder with nine goals in one tournament, and Akram Afif – the 2019 Asian Footballer of the Year.
Check out the current strikers' biodata below:
1. Hassan Al Haydos
Born:
11th December 1990
Height:
1.74m
Main Position:
Right WInger
Current Team:
Al Sadd, Qatar
The Qatar National Team’s captain, Hassan Al Haydos is the most capped player in the current squad with 131 caps to his name. Haydos has so far scored 27 goals since his debut for the Qatar national team in 2008.
As a youngster, Haydos played for the Qatari youth team at Al Sadd, graduating, at 17 years old, to the senior team in 2007 where he has maintained his position ever since.
Haydos played for both the U20 and U23 national teams, has played in the AFC Asian Cup twice, three Gulf Cup tournaments, and the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifiers. He is the recipient of several honours including the Qatar Football Association Player of the Year 2015 and the Estad Doha Qatar Player of the Year 2014.
Image: Andre_MA/Shutterstock.com
2. Akram Afif
Born:
18th November 1996 (age 23)
Height:
1.77m
Main Position:
Left Winger
Current Team:
Al Sadd, Qatar (on loan from Villareal, Spain)
Akram Afif has had considerable success since his call up to the national team in 2015 with 17 goals in 58 matches. He was part of the winning squad at the 2019 AFC Asian Cup, for which he was awarded the 2019 Asian Footballer of the Year. He crafted ten assists during the tournament, a new record for the competition, and scored a penalty in the last ten minutes to give Qatar a 3-1 lead over Japan in the Final.
The youngster played for Qatari youth teams, Al Markhiya and Al Sadd before enrolling at the Aspire Academy. During his time at Aspire, he played for youth teams, Sevilla and Villareal, in Spain. Following his graduation from Aspire, Afif was signed by Eupen in 2015, followed by a transfer to Villareal in 2016 - the first Qatari-born player to sign for the La Liga division. Since joining Villareal, Afif has been on loan to the Spanish team, Sporting Gijon, Belgium team, Eupen, and Qatari team, Al Sadd.
Image: Celso Pupo/Shutterstock.com
3. Almoez Ali
Born:
19th August 1996 (age 23)
Height:
1.80m
Main Position:
Centre Forward
Current Team:
Al Duhail, Qatar
2019 was an exceptional year for Almoez Ali, who was part of the Qatari squad who won the AFC Asian Cup for the first time - it was also their first-ever top four win in the competition. The competition also saw Ali break numerous records. He recorded the second-fastest time to four goals in an Asian Cup match, became joint top scorer of the tournaments Group Stage, and beat fellow Qatari player’s highest score at an Asian Cup competition. And, most notably, he also became the most prolific scorer in a single AFC Asian Cup event, with nine goals hammered home during the tournament. He was also the top scorer at the 2018 AFC U-23 Championship with six goals.
An Aspire Academy graduate, Ali played for the youth teams at Al Duhail (formerly Lekhwiya SC) and KAS Eupen before joining the senior squad at LASK in 2015. Following a stint at the Spanish club, Cultural Leonese, Ali returned to play for Al Duhail in 2016.
Ali made his official senior debut for the national team as a substitute in 2–1 win against Iraq in 2016 - two years after helping the U-19 team to victory in Myanmar and a year after playing with the Qatar squad at the 2015 U20 FIFA World Cup. To date, he has racked up 25 goals in just over 50 appearances.
Image: Celso Pupo/Shutterstock.com
4. Ahmed Alaaeldin
Born:
31st January 1993 (age 27)
Height:
1.77m
Main Position:
Right Winger
Current Team:
Al Gharafa, Qatar
Since joining the Qatar National Team in 2013, Ahmed Alaaeldin has made 27 appearances with one goal to his credit. He was part of the winning 2019 AFC Asian Cup squad and the 2019 Copa America squad. He was also part of the Qatari team, and ‘top scorer’ of the tournament, at the 2016 AFC U-23 Championship in Qatar.
Currently, Alaaeldin plays for Qatar Stars League team, Al Gharafa. Prior to his move to Al Gharafa in 2017, the young forward played for Al Rayyan, beginning his football career with the team in 2010.
5. Ali Afif
Born:
20th January 1988 (age 32)
Height:
1.72m
Main Position:
Left Winger
Current Team:
Al Duhail, Qatar
In his thirties, Ali Afif is one of the oldest members of the national team. He began his footballing career in 2002 for the Qatari youth team, Al Gharafa, signing for the senior team, Al Sadd in 2004. He played for the Qatar U17's between 2003-2005.
Ali began his senior international career for the national team in 2006 at age 18. So far he has registered ten goals in 56 appearances. He was part of the winning 2019 AFC Asian Cup squad.
He currently plays for Al Duhail, a team he has been with since 2012 after a loan transfer from Al Sadd. He is also the elder brother of Akram Afif.
Follow up on the Qatar National Team’s story from its inception to becoming today’s continental champions, read our Journey to Success article.
Main Image: A.RICARDO/Shutterstock.com
Published: May 05, 2020
Last updated: November 05, 2020
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