For 2022 FIFA World Cup hosts Qatar, who are making their debut in the quadrennial extravaganza, the challenges are manifold.

The Al Annabi, who are drawn in Group A along with Ecuador, Senegal and the Netherlands need first and foremost to dispel the notion that they are playing in the World Cup just by the virtue of being the host nation.

They proved that they are no pushovers by winning the 2019 Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Asian Cup, beating fancied teams like South Korea and Japan en route to winning the title, conceding just one goal throughout the tournament.

QATAR 2022 FIXTURES

The Felix Sanchez-coached squad is a blend of youth and experience with the White and Maroon brigade pinning their hopes on 2019 AFC Asian Footballer of the Year Akram Afif.

The left-winger, who has plied his trade with Belgian outfit KAS Eupen, will lead the attack upfront along with 2019 AFC Asian Cup hero Almoez Ali and Qatar Stars League (QSL) star and skipper Al Haydos. The whole squad is picked from those players plying trade in QSL.

Almoez was the star for Qatar during their 2019 AFC Asian Cup campaign in the UAE where he scored a record-breaking nine goals to emerge as the tournament top-scorer, thereby playing an instrumental role in Al Annabi's maiden triumph at the continental level.

In UAE three years back, Sanchez's men had won the battle as well as hearts in a tournament which was played amidst political tension in the region due to the economic blockade imposed on Qatar by their neighbours.

During the 4-0 semifinal win over hosts UAE, they were at the receiving end right throughout the 90 minutes of play. They were booed by a partisan crowd right from the moment the Qatar national anthem was played.

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