In the summer of 2018, Julen Lopetegui lived a movie-like story. Just weeks before the start of the Russia World Cup, he was dismissed as the head coach of Spain after accepting the offer to replace Zinedine Zidane at Real Madrid, a club that had just won three consecutive Champions League titles and had lost Cristiano Ronaldo. Now, almost seven years after that episode, he returns to national team football to become the one responsible for taking Qatar to the 2026 World Cup.

Lopetegui joins the line of Spanish coaches in Qatar.

For several weeks, it had been rumored that Julen Lopetegui had already accepted an offer from Rayados de Monterrey to take charge of the project, replacing Martín Demichelis. It would have been his first venture outside of Europe… although in a familiar environment, as he would reunite with old acquaintances like Sergio Ramos, Óliver Torres, Lucas Ocampos, or ‘Tecatito’ Corona.

However, seeing Monterrey’s indecision in firing Martín Demichelis until it was confirmed that they were eliminated in the Liga MX playoffs, Julen Lopetegui began to consider other offers… and the one from Qatar was the most attractive. Especially considering that it’s a country where football is growing rapidly… and where the Spanish coach is highly valued. Proof of this is that, since 2017, compatriots like Félix Sánchez, Tintín Márquez, and, more recently, Luis García have worked there.

Lopetegui will debut with Qatar on June 5.

As announced by the Qatar Football Association, Julen Lopetegui has signed a contract until 2027, and his main mission will be to secure qualification for the 2026 World Cup, which will take place next summer in the United States, Mexico, and Canada. He is scheduled to make his debut as the new head coach on June 5 in a qualifying match against Iran, which has already secured its spot in the 2026 World Cup during the last FIFA window.

Except for his time at Real Madrid, Julen Lopetegui has always been a highly regarded coach for his work at the helm of Oporto, Sevilla, and Wolverhampton. He also had a successful tenure with Spain's youth teams before becoming the senior coach. However, he now has the responsibility of redeeming himself after a final disappointing experience as the head coach of West Ham, who dismissed him in January.