An Arab national team is reportedly interested in signing Spanish coach Xavi Hernández, the former manager of Barcelona, shortly after his departure from the Catalan club.
Xavi took charge of Barcelona in November 2021 and led the team to a La Liga title in the 2022-2023 season, as well as the domestic Super Cup in the same year. However, his tenure ended unexpectedly in the summer of 2024 after the club failed to secure any major trophies last season, leading to the 44-year-old coach’s dismissal.
Now, Xavi has a strong opportunity to return to management, this time with the Qatar national team, which is considering dismissing its current coach, Tan Tan Marquez. According to the Qatari newspaper Al-Raya, the Qatar Football Association is highly interested in hiring Xavi to lead the national team, especially after their struggles in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.
Qatar currently sits fourth in Group A of the final stage of the Asian qualifiers, with four points from four matches. The team has managed only one win, against Kyrgyzstan, while suffering two losses to the UAE and Iran, and drawing with North Korea. Xavi’s prior experience in Qatar, where he coached Al Sadd after concluding his playing career, makes him a suitable candidate for the role.