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34 players are on coach Lopetegui's preliminary list. |
Coach Julen Lopetegui has just announced the preliminary 34-player squad for the Qatar national team for the 2026 World Cup. There were few surprises in the Spanish strategist's selection, as he maintained the familiar core with Akram Afif as the biggest star.
However, the name that attracted all the attention was Sebastian Soria. The striker, born in 1983, is now 42 years old but is still being given the opportunity by Lopetegui to compete for a spot in the squad for the USA, Canada, and Mexico.
Soria was born in Uruguay but acquired Qatari citizenship in 2007. He played 123 matches for the national team and became one of the icons of Qatari football for almost two decades.
If Soria is named in the final 26-player squad and plays in the 2026 World Cup, he will become the oldest player in the tournament's history excluding goalkeepers. The current record belongs to legend Roger Milla, who played in the 1994 World Cup at the age of 42 years and 3 days.
Previously, Lopetegui had caused controversy by calling up Soria for the play-off match against the UAE. The veteran striker came on in the second half and contributed to Qatar's 2-1 victory, securing their World Cup qualification.
Despite facing much criticism, Lopetegui remained steadfast in his choice. With Qatar in the same group as Switzerland, Bosnia & Herzegovina, and Canada, Soria's experience was seen as a crucial asset for the Asian representative's World Cup journey.
Source: https://znews.vn/tien-dao-chau-a-sap-pha-ky-luc-world-cup-post1650914.html
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