The Qatar national under-23 football team (also known as Qatar Under-23 or Qatar Olympics Team) represents Qatar in international football competitions in GCC U-23 Championship and football at the Summer Olympics, as well as any other under-23 international football tournaments.
| Nickname(s) | Al-Annabi (The Maroons) | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Association | Qatar Football Association | ||
| Confederation | AFC (Asia) | ||
| Sub-confederation | WAFF (West Asia) | ||
| Head coach | Ilídio Vale | ||
| Home stadium | Khalifa International Stadium Jassim bin Hamad Stadium | ||
| FIFA code | QAT | ||
| |||
| Olympic Games | |||
| Appearances | 2 (first in 1984) | ||
| Best result | Quarter-finals (1992) | ||
| AFC U-23 Championship | |||
| Appearances | 5 (first in 2016) | ||
| Best result |  Bronze Medal (2018) | ||
| Asian Games | |||
| Appearances | 5 (first in 2002) | ||
| Best result |  Gold Medal (2006) | ||
History edit
Compared to regional neighbours, Qatar has a decent record in Olympic football, with two prior Summer Olympics qualifications and a gold medal in the 2006 Asian games.
Qatar's first attempt to compete in the Olympic level proved fruitful, they cruised past Jordan and Syria in the preliminary stages of the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, then finished atop of Group B in the final qualifications round after beating Thailand, Malaysia, Japan and Iraq.
Qatar's Olympic debut under Brazilian legend Evaristo de Macedo came as stunning as it gets, a 2–2 draw with a Platini captained France (who went on to claim the gold medal eventually), sent ripples of shock across the football world, however; suffering two defeats to Chile and Norway deprived the first timers of a last 16 berth.
Eight years later, a new young squad dominated its qualifying campaign on the expense of Japan, China and Saudi Arabia, in the finals; the Qataris were given a tough draw next to host nation Spain, Colombia and Egypt. Qatar kicked off their matches at Barcelona with a crucial 1–0 win over fellow Arab nation Egypt, before registering a 1–1 draw with Colombia to secure a place in the knockout stage, turning the last group match against Spain into a formality.
A loss to Poland in the second stage fell a little bit short of rising expectations, but reaching the second stage led to the country's best Olympic result.
When hosting the 2006 Asian Games, Qatar found itself with a double objective; to show that it was capable of hosting a major event of that caliber, and demonstrate that its football team was worthy of standing alongside Asia's elite.
Undefeated throughout the whole tournament; Qatar's momentum escalated from one match to another, reaching its peak in the 2–0 final against Iraq.
Tournament records edit
Summer Olympics edit
Since 1992, football at the Summer Olympics changes into Under-23 tournament.
| Olympics Record | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Round | Position | GP | W | D | L | GS | GA |
 1992 |
Quarter-finals | 8 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 5 |
 1996 |
did not qualify | |||||||
 2000
| ||||||||
 2004
| ||||||||
 2008
| ||||||||
 2012
| ||||||||
 2016
| ||||||||
 2020
| ||||||||
 2024
| ||||||||
| 2028 |
to be determined | |||||||
| 2032
| ||||||||
| Total | 1/11 | Best: 8th | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 5 |
U-23 Asian Cup edit
| AFC U-23 Championship Record | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Round | Position | GP | W | D | L | GS | GA |
 2013 |
did not qualify | |||||||
 2016 |
Semi-finals | 4th | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 13 | 10 |
| 2018 |
Third place | 3rd | 6 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 10 | 5 |
 2020
|
Group stage | 11th | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
 2022 |
13th | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 9 | |
| 2024 |
Quarter-finals | TBD | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 5 |
 2026 |
To be determined | |||||||
| Total | 4/7 | 0 title(s) | 22 | 11 | 7 | 4 | 35 | 32 |
Asian Games edit
Since 2002, football at the Asian Games changes into Under-23 tournament.
| Asian Games Record | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Round | Position | GP | W | D | L | GS | GA |
 2002 |
Group stage | 11th | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 13 | 2 |
| 2006 |
Final |  Gold |
6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 13 | 2 |
| 2010 |
Round of 16 | 9th | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 2 |
| 2014 |
Withdrew | |||||||
 2018 |
Group stage | 21st | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 8 |
| 2022 |
Round of 16 | 16th | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| Total | 5/6 | 1 title(s) | 18 | 8 | 5 | 6 | 32 | 17 |
GCC U-23 Championship edit
| GCC U-23 Championship Record | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Round | Position | GP | W | D | L | GS | GA |
| 2008 |
Final group | 3rd | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 8 | 5 |
| 2010 |
Semi-finals | 4th | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 6 |
| 2011 |
4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 9 | ||
| Total | 3/3 | 0 title(s) | 12 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 13 | 20 |
Recent results and fixtures edit
Win Draw Lose
2023 edit
| 20 September 2023 Asian Games | Japan | 3–1 | Qatar | Hangzhou, China |
| 19:30 UTC+8 | Report |
|
Stadium: Xiaoshan Sports Centre Stadium Attendance: 5,904 Referee: Kim Hee-gon (South Korea) |
| 22 September 2023 Asian Games | Qatar | 0–0 |  Palestine | Hangzhou, China |
| 19:30 UTC+8 | Report | Stadium: Xiaoshan Sports Centre Stadium Attendance: 6,475 Referee: Ammar Ashkanani (Kuwait) |
| 27 September 2023 Asian Games | China | 1–0 | Qatar | Hangzhou, China |
| 19:30 UTC+8 | Report | Stadium: Yellow Dragon Sports Center Stadium Attendance: 38,027 Referee: Rustam Lutfullin (Uzbekistan) |
| 17 November 2023 Friendly | Qatar | 1–2 | Australia | Khobar, Saudi Arabia |
| 19:00 AST |
|
Report | Stadium: Prince Saud bin Jalawi Stadium |
2024 edit
| 2 April 2024 Friendly | Qatar | 0–2 | China | Al Rayyan, Qatar |
| 15:00 UTC+3 |
|
Stadium: Jassim bin Hamad Stadium |
| 7 April 2024 Friendly | Qatar | 1–0 |  Malaysia | Doha, Qatar |
| --:-- UTC+3 | Stadium: Abdullah bin Khalifa Stadium |
| 15 April 2024 2024 AFC U-23 Asian Cup GS | Qatar | 2–0 | Indonesia | Al Rayyan, Qatar |
| 18:30 UTC+3 | Stadium: Jassim bin Hamad Stadium |
| 18 April 2024 2024 AFC U-23 Asian Cup GS | Jordan  | 1–2 | Qatar | Al Rayyan, Qatar |
| 18:30 UTC+3 | Stadium: Jassim bin Hamad Stadium |
| 21 April 2024 2024 AFC U-23 Asian Cup GS | Qatar | 0–0 | Australia | Al Rayyan, Qatar |
| 18:30 UTC+3 | Stadium: Jassim bin Hamad Stadium |
| 21 April 2024 2024 AFC U-23 Asian Cup QF | Qatar | 2-4 | Japan | Al Rayyan, Qatar |
| 18:30 UTC+3 | Stadium: Jassim bin Hamad Stadium |
Coaching staff edit
| Position | Name |
|---|---|
| Team manager | Mohammed Jaber Dharman
|
| Head coach |  Ilídio Vale
|
| Assistant coach | Joaquim Milheiro
|
| Goalkeeping coach | Silvinho Morales
|
| Fitness coach | Sébastien Braillard
|
| Team doctor | Alejandro Alvarez Mesa
|
Players edit
Current squad edit
The following 23 players were named in the squad for the 2024 AFC U-23 Asian Cup.[1]
Previous squads edit
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|
|
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Managers edit
| Period | Manager |
|---|---|
| 1998–1999 |  Jo Bonfrere
|
| 1999–2000 | José Paulo
|
| 2003 | Alex Dupont
|
| 2007 |  Hassan Hormatallah
|
| 2011–2012 | Paulo Autuori
|
| 2012–2013 | Alain Perrin
|
| 2013 | Marcel van Buuren
|
| 2013–2014 |  Julio César Moreno
|
| 2014–2017 | Fahad Thani
|
| 2017–2020 | Félix Sánchez
|
| 2020–2022 | Nicolás Córdova
|
| 2023– | Ilídio Vale
|
See also edit
References edit
- ^ "📋 - List of our U-23 national team 🇶🇦 called up for the Asian Cup.🏆". Twitter. Qatar Football Association. 5 April 2024.