Is this the end of Qatar’s football project or just the beginning?

The hushed anger of fans was evident outside the Al Thumama stadium after Qatar’s 3-1 defeat by Senegal on Friday and hours later they were out of the World Cup to become the second country- headquarters to suffer that fate after South Africa in 2010.

Qatar has prepared for the finals since it was chosen as host in 2010, spending $200 billion to hold a “gathering for all mankind”, as the title of the opening ceremony put it, but it was all over for the team in 180 minutes. .

“This whole team should be replaced,” a Qatari fan told Reuters outside Al Thumama stadium, without revealing her name.

In the tournament’s opening match, the 2019 AFC Asian Cup champions failed to live up to expectations and conceded twice in the first half to lose 2-0 to Ecuador after a disappointing and shaky performance, with many fans leaving before the end.

The team may have paid the price for the Qatar Football Federation’s decision not to allow national team players to play for their clubs in the local league this season and to focus exclusively on preparations for the big event.

At times, fatigue and nervousness were evident in the team’s performances, as in the first minutes of the opening game, when goalkeeper Saad Al Sheeb would have scored an early goal had it not been for VAR’s intervention.

Qatar did not have a shot on goal against Ecuador and this continued into the first half against African champions Senegal.

Some fans expected coach Felix Sánchez to make changes in the second half against Ecuador to help his team get back into the game, but he only changed two players midway through the break and two towards the end when it was too late.

Sánchez said after the match against Ecuador that nerves had taken over his team and that World Cup games are completely different from any other game, whether friendly or official, like the Asian Cup final.

soccer project

On the eve of the crucial game against Senegal, Sánchez said the team had prepared itself psychologically for the possibility of an early exit from the tournament.

“We are a small country, the smallest to host a World Cup, and we know that we can be eliminated early, but that does not mean the end of the football project”, he stated.

“I am sure that Qatar will continue its project of keeping a strong team, competing and qualifying for the next tournaments”, he added.

Against Senegal, Sánchez made three changes to the starting line-up, including the selection of goalkeeper Meshaal Barsham.

Once again, individual mistakes dashed the team’s hopes as they lost 3-1. At least Qatar scored in the 78th minute when substitute Mohammed Muntari scored his country’s first World Cup goal on his debut. tournament.

Later, when the Netherlands drew 1-1 with Ecuador, it was the end of Qatar’s World Cup hopes. They have one match left against the Dutch on Tuesday (29).

Qatar will look to defend their Asian Cup title when they host the finals, although no date has been set for that tournament yet after China withdrew as hosts due to the country’s Covid-19 situation.

The question remains, however, whether this is the end of Qatar’s football project or just the beginning.