(MENAFN- The Peninsula) The Peninsula
Doha: Carlos Queiroz, who led the Iranian national team to the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, was named Qatar's new national team coach on Monday.
The contract was signed between Queiroz and Mansour Al-Ansari, Secretary-General of the Qatar Football Association, on behalf of QFA, at the headquarters of the Federation in Al Bidda Tower. According to QFA, the contract period will be until the 2026 World Cup, which will be held in America, Canada and Mexico.
'OFFICIAL: Carlos Queiroz is the new head coach of #Alannab.' 'We wish the Portuguese coach all the best with our national team,' the Qatar Football Association (QFA) announced on Twitter.
Queiroz will lead the first team's preparations for the 2023 Gold Cup competitions in America, which Al-Annabi will attend on a special invitation from CONCACAF after competing in the previous edition in the United States of America in 2021.
The Portuguese has a rich biography, and he has great knowledge and extensive experience in Qatari and Asian football, as he previously coached the Iranian national team from 2011 to 2019, after which he led it to qualify for the 2014 and 2018 World Cups, and he also led it recently in the Qatar 2022 World Cup before he himself announced the end of the tournament and his mission with the team.
Queiroz is currently ranked third on the list of coaches with the most appearances in different versions of the FIFA World Cup, with four appearances, equal to Oscar Tabarez, Henri Michel, and other great coaches throughout history.
The Peninsula had earlier reported on january 31 the likelihood of the 69-year-old coach being named as the new coach of the Al Annabi after the departure of Spaniard Felix Sanchez, the former coach.
Queroz is one of the seven Portuguese coaches handling foreign teams.
The list includes Fernando Santos (Poland), Rui Vitória (Egypt), Pedro Gonçalves (Angola), Paulo Duarte (Togo), Hélio Sousa (Bahrain), and José Peseiro (Nigeria).
The Portuguese coach began his managerial career with the Portuguese Under-20 team, which went on to win the FIFA World Youth Championships in 1989 and 1991.
Quieroz served as the manager of renowned European teams like Real Madrid and as the assistant manager of Manchester United.
He also led various international football teams, including Portugal, South Africa, Colombia, Egypt, and the United Arab Emirates.
During his stint in Iran, Quieroz helped Team Melli qualify for the 2014 FIFA World Cup, the 2015 AFC Asian Cup, the 2018 FIFA World Cup, and the most recent FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.
With nearly eight years under his belt between 2011 and 2019, Queiroz was the Iran national team's longest-tenured manager and the only coach in Iranian history to have guided the squad to three straight World Cups.
The Portuguese manager returned to Iran for a second time to lead the Persian Leopards less than three months prior to Qatar's World Cup.
With Quieroz as head coach, Iran unraveled new levels in its football record, becoming the first ranked team in Asia before dropping down a position after this year's FIFA World Cup.