Lopetegui returns to international management with Qatar

Former Spain coach Julen Lopetegui has returned to international football with Qatar, as they battle to ensure qualification for the 2026 World Cup.

Qatar are fourth in their six-team World Cup qualification group, and they are unable to seal a top-two finish and qualify directly from this stage of the AFC process.

However, the 2022 hosts are overwhelmingly likely to go through to the fourth round, in which two more qualification spots will be up for grabs.

Ahead of games against Iran and Uzbekistan in June, Qatar have opted to replace coach Luis Garcia with Lopetegui, who was sacked by West Ham in January after just half a season in charge.

The Qatar Football Association posted a video on X, in which it announced: "Julien Lopetegui is the incoming coach of the national team. He will guide the team throughout the remaining matches of the World Cup 2026 qualifiers."

| A glimpse from the contract signing ceremony with our national team head coach, ‘Julen Lopetegui’ .#AlAnnabi pic.twitter.com/ArZTeVw1JF
— Qatar Football (@QFA_EN) May 1, 2025

Lopetegui previously led Spain throughout a dominant qualification campaign for the 2018 World Cup, but he was dismissed on the eve of that tournament after it emerged he had agreed to join Real Madrid when the competition ended.

Lopetegui lasted just four months at the Santiago Bernabeu after a poor start to the 2018-19 season, joining Sevilla the following year and winning the Europa League in 2020.

The former goalkeeper took over at Wolves midway through the 2022-23 season and led them away from a possible Premier League relegation battle, only to quit on the eve of the 2023-24 campaign amid disagreements with the club's owners over a lack of transfer activity.

His West Ham reign was then underwhelming as they won just six of his 20 Premier League games at the helm despite a transfer spend of over £130million, recording a win percentage of 30% and overseeing a return of just 1.2 goals per game.