World Cup generation in Qatar going from strength to strength
Over the past five years the Qatari national youth sides have been reaping success as they prepare players for the World Cup they will host in 2022.
Qatar’s national youth sides continue to reap success as they look to develop players for the full national side which will play in the World Cup 2022, to be hosted by the country. This weekend the Under-19 side qualified for the U-20 World Cup to be held this coming spring in Poland, after yesterday (Sunday) reaching the semi-finals of the Asian Under-19 Championship being held in Indonesia. The Qatari side, coached by Bruno Miguel Nogueira Pinheiro, thumped Thailand (7-3, with a brace from Abdulrasheed Umaru and individual goals from another five players) in extra-time and on Thursday, 1 November, will face South Korea, who beat Tajikistan 1-0 today, in the semi-final. The final will be held on 4 November.
Qatar successes at youth level
The U-20 World Cup will be the fourth edition of the tournament for which Qatar have qualified, the third on their own merits. Their last appearance was in New Zealand in 2015, when they went out at the group stage. Previously, they were runners-up against West Germany in 1981 and were knocked out in the group stage in 1995 when they hosted the tournament.
Reaching the semi-finals of the U-19 AFC, and thus qualifying for Poland, is an achievement to be added to the other successes over the past five years by the Qatar youth sides. In 2014 they won the Asian U-19 Championships - which qualified them for the previous World Cup - and at Under-23 level in the Asian Championships they reached the semi-finals in 2016 (finishing fourth) and 2018 (third).
Qualifying for U-20 World Cup in Poland
Together with Qatar, Japan and South Korea have also qualified for the 2019 U-20 World Cup in Poland, to be played from 23 May to 15 June. Ten of the 24 participants are already known. Europe (five teams plus the host) and Oceania have already decided their teams: Italy, Portugal, Ukraine, France, Norway, New Zealand and Tahiti. The other side for Asia, in addition to Qatar, Japan and South Korea, will be either Saudi Arabia or Australia who play for the final semi-final berth later today in the U-19 championships. Africa, South America and CONCACAF will have a further four representatives each. Spain didn't take part in European U-19 qualifying for the U-20 World Cup.
| Year | Tournament | Category | Result |
| 2014 | Asian | U-19 | Champion |
| 2015 | World Cup | U-20 | Group Stage |
| 2016 | Asian | U-23 | Semi-final |
| 2018 | Asian | U-23 | Third place |
| 2018 | Asian | U-19 | Semi-final (?) |
| 2019 | World Cup | U-20 | Qualified |
Las categorías inferiores de Qatar en el último lustro
| Year | Tournament | Category | Result |
| 2014 | Asian | U-19 | Champion |
| 2015 | World Cup | U-20 | Group Stage |
| 2016 | Asian | U-23 | Semi-final |
| 2018 | Asian | U-23 | Third place |
| 2018 | Asian | U-19 | Semi-final (?) |
| 2019 | World Cup | U-20 | Qualified |