Four years ago, Qatar's involvement in their very own World Cup was met with an avalanche of cynicism. Confined by political scrutiny off the pitch and paralysed by stage fright on it, the hosts crashed out with zero wins, leaving many to scoff that they simply didn't belong at the elite table.
But fast forward four years and the narrative in Doha has transformed from defensive posturing to quiet vindication. For the first time in their history, the Maroon have qualified for a World Cup on sporting merit. Now guided by former Real Madrid and Spain boss Julen Lopetegui, the back-to-back Asian champions are no longer a novelty act but a hardened, deeply pragmatic tournament team arriving with a chip on their shoulder.
To understand the legacy of 2022, the country's deep-rooted obsession with Spanish football coaching, and what constitutes a successful summer campaign, we sat down with Qatari football expert Sudesh Baniya on the Make Football Great Again podcast.
For Baniya, Qatar's qualification journey has finally proved that they belong on the world stage, and under Lopetegui, they are fully prepared to win ugly.
