Mitch Freeley

Arsene Wenger has revealed exclusively to beIN SPORTS that he is expecting a fantastic 2022 World Cup but insisted that the emphasis must now be placed on the Qatar National Team to deliver in what will be in their maiden World Cup.

Wenger, who has recently been a pundit with beIN SPORTS stressed that Qatar 2022 will be a success, but that the national team will now have to play their part.  

“The country will be under huge pressure first of all as it was a huge surprise that Qatar got the World Cup.”

“Seeing it closely what they do, I think that they prepare a fantastic organization, I have no doubt on that but part of the success of this World Cup will be how well their national team will do.”

Al-Annabi has been quietly going about their business in preparing the side under Spanish boss Félix Sánchez, and have blooded a host of young exciting players into the squad. However, Wenger who is currently out of work after leaving Arsenal at the end of last season added that within two years you will be able to see if Qatar will have prepared a side to compete on the biggest stage in world football.

“They have done great work, and I would say at the moment in two years we can give a better answer to the chances that they will have. We have not seen Qatar really, two years before the competition you can have a better idea of how they will be.”

“Their luck is that they have four and a half years to prepare as they have a good young team and they will need every month they gain, will be important for them.”

Looking towards the 2022 tournament, Wenger also revealed that he hoped for a more level tournament with representation from South America, Asia and Africa in the latter stages.

“What we will see that hopefully, it will be a real World Cup again. The 2018 World Cup was a great World Cup, but it was a European Championship  with one invited team Brazil.”

“Overall we knew that no South American team apart from Brazil was good enough to win it, no Asian team, no African team. Basically, Europe looks to be miles ahead of the other continents, I hope that it will be much more level again.”

You can hear more from Wenger in “Arsène Wenger in Conversation” which is currently available via the beIN SPORTS website and beIN SPORTS CONNECT.