Qatar became the first World Cup hosts to lose all three group matches, the last one 2-0 to the Dutch
Defender Abdelkarim Hassan is one of the few players from the Qatari team to speak out on his World Cup experience since losing all three group matches.
The 2018 Asian Footballer of the Year said the Qatar World Cup was a phenomenal opportunity and praised his country’s efforts in hosting the tournament.
“An unforgettable feeling… I am proud of my participation in the World Cup, and thanks to everyone who contributed and worked hard from all sides to achieve this great event,” wrote the 29-year-old defender on his social media pages.
Despite underperforming in the tournament, Hassan voiced that the losses have become lessons to learn from for the future of Qatar football.
“It was an experience and a lesson from which we learned a lot for the future of Qatari football. Congratulations to Qatar for its success in presenting an exceptional version of the World Cup that surpassed all expectations.”
The left-back for Qatar Stars League club Al Sadd has been dubbed a remarkable participant for the Maroons due to his incredible football IQ and his ability to pass defenders and create opportunities for attack.
With over 120 games to his name, In 2019, the 29-year-old defender submitted a hat trick against Yemen in a 6-0 humiliating loss at the Gulf Cup.
Qatar was expected to deliver a challenge to Ecuador since both sides had young squads that were yet to experience a FIFA tournament, but the Qataris lost 2-0.
An energised Ecuador led by Enner Valencia put on an impressive show at Al Bayt Stadium, eventually marking the first time in the World Cup that a host team lost the opening match.
Against Senegal, Qatar defended well in the, but the African champions eventually broke the deadlock by scoring three goals at Al Thumama Stadium.
Qatar scored a lone goal in the tournament as substitute Mohammed Muntari became the first player to score for Qatar in a World Cup final.
Against the Netherlands, a three-time runner-up at the World Cup, Qatar lacked the quality and lost 2-0.
Qatar became the first World Cup host to lose all three group matches, sending a reminder that the team needs more experience before it can do any damage in any upcoming FIFA tournaments.
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