2022 World Cup Top Players: Qatar

Always a First Time

No matter what happens, the 2022 World Cup will be a special edition. It will be the first time that a country from the Middle East hosts the event. To make it even more special, it will also be the first time that Qatar competes on soccer’s grandest stage. As if that wasn’t enough, it will also be the first time that the World Cup is played at the end of the year. Check the 2022 World Cup FAQs to find out more.

Despite being the host, Qatar isn’t among the soccer betting favorites to dethrone France. They’re offering a +35000 price while favorte Brazil is +450. However, if Almoez Ali turns the beast mode on right from the start, those soccer odds could drastically change after the Group Stage.

Who’s Almoez Ali?

Ali is Qatar’s top player. Born in Sudan, Ali is only 25 years old, but he already led Qatar to win the AFC Asian Cup. He has also scored in the Copa America and the Golden Cup. In fact, he clinched the top scorer award in the 2021 edition of CONCACAF’s regional tournament.

But let’s start at the beginning. Ali played for Qatar’s senior team for the first time in 2013 in a match against Bahrain. Nevertheless, that match wasn’t recognized by FIFA. Therefore, his official debut wasn’t until 2016 in a match against Iraq.

In 2018, he scored six goals in the AFC U-23 Championship, leading Qatar to finish in third place. That performance led him back onto the senior squad for the 2019 AFC Asian Cup, in which he scored nine goals. No other player in the tournament scored more than four goals. He even scored in the Grand Finale against Japan, which Qatar ended up winning 3-1.

That same year, the Maroon were invited to the Copa America. They finished with a 0-1-2 record, two goals for and five against. Ali scored one of those goals, against Paraguay in a 2-2 draw.

Two years later, Qatar was invited to the Gold Cup. They won Group D with a 2-1-0 record, nine goals for and only three against. They defeated El Salvador 3-2 in the quarterfinals and put up a good fight against United States in a 1-0 semifinal loss. Ali finished as the tournament’s top scorer with four goals.

Overall, Ali has scored 39 goals for the national team. It’s no exaggeration to call him a scoring machine. That’s why, despite Qatar’s minimum chances of advancing to the World Cup Round of 16, he’s offering a +25000 price in the sportsbook to win the Golden Boot. A great performance, individually, during the Group Stage, or even a single game, could be enough to win it. In the 2019 AFC Asian Cup, he scored four goals in a span of 51 minutes against North Korea. Another match like that would increase his chances considerably. Qatar will face Netherlands, Ecuador and Senegal in Group A.

Certified Winner

Ali plays for Al-Duhail, a club from the Qatar Stars League. He has scored 38 goals in 115 games. He contributed to the team winning the title in 2018 and 2020. In 2018, they also won the domestic cup in 2018. Internationally, they won the AFC Asian Cup in 2019.

He has also played for FC Pasching, LASK and Cultural Leonesa.

To recap, here are Ali’s individual accolades: