Spain has a very strong reputation abroad as a “football country”, says Spanish ambassador to Qatar

Javier Carbajosa Sanchez, the Spanish ambassador to Qatar, stated that Spain had “extremely strong” prospects of winning the World Cup but did not want to “underestimate” the other teams, adding that the 2022 edition of football’s premier event will be full of surprises.

The crew, which arrived in Qatar on Wednesday, is technically very strong, according to the high-ranking official, and they have several surprises in store.

“Spain has a good team and we already proved back in 2010 (South Africa) that we can win the World Cup. Our expectations are high but we cannot underestimate any team. There are many squads out there which are technically very good and with a lot of accumulated experience. And then, of course, there will be surprises…,” Sanchez said.

On December 18 at the Lusail Stadium in Qatar, Spain will attempt to capture their second FIFA World Cup championship by winning the game. The 29-day event will begin on November 20 with a match between the hosts Qatar and Ecuador, and thousands of fans are travelling to Qatar for it.

The Spanish embassy in Qatar is aiming to make the fan experience a memorable one for its residents for the duration of the football showcase event, with over 40,000 World Cup tickets already purchased by fans from the Iberian country.

“We are expecting between 4,000 and 6,000 fans. However, the number of tickets sold to attend football matches with the Spanish national team exceeded 40,000,” said Sanchez.

The Spanish embassy has been cooperating closely with the host nation to occasionally offer advice to its people while they are in Qatar.”

The Spanish Embassy has improved its consular services. The Embassy will also have a presence at the Doha-based International Center for Consular Assistance.

In the same vein, revised travel advice and specific recommendations have been made in order to give Spanish nationals visiting Qatar direction and orientation on many issues.”

When asked if the Spanish embassy has any connections to any Spanish support groups in Qatar, Sanchez responded: “The Embassy of Spain in Qatar supports all groups of fans, and participates in some of them. However, activities planned by fans are private and respond to individual likings and preferences.”

With La Liga, renowned teams like Real Madrid and Barcelona, and its objective of establishing football schools, Sanchez claimed that Spain has earned the reputation of being a “football country.”

“Spain is widely regarded as a “football country” outside. Millions of people follow La Liga. Real Madrid and Barcelona, two Spanish soccer teams, had also established a global policy of founding football academies, which undoubtedly enhances reputation.”

He stated, “Spanish coaches are everywhere: Only in Qatar, the National coach for both football and handball are both Spaniards,” in reference to their predominance in various football leagues throughout the world. In addition to Qatar coach Felix Sanchez, Belgium coach Roberto Martinez is also a Spaniard in the 2022 FIFA World Cup, while Luis Enrique is in charge of Spain.

Spain and Germany will compete to advance from Group E, which also includes Costa Rica and Japan.

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