04 Oct 2024
Qatar’s qualification for the 2025 AFC Under-20 Asian Cup is sure to be the inspiration for their under-17 counterparts, whose qualifiers will be held later in October.
The 23-man squad for the under-20 games featured a total of 18 Aspire Academy graduates.
The team were unbeaten in its three Group J matches, which were all played in Qatar, as they overcame Singapore (3-0), Hong Kong (2-0), and Jordan (3-2).
Qatar has now qualified for the under-20 finals in China from 6 to 23 February. The top four teams will then progress to the 2025 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Chile.
The Qatar under-17 squad is made up entirely of current Aspire student-athletes who have been training at the Academy under the guidance of Ahmed Reda Madouni as head coach.
Qatar are hosting Group F of the qualifiers and will play Mongolia on 23 October, then Nepal two days later and finally Japan on the 27th.
The group winners are assured of a place at the 2025 AFC Under-17 Asian Cup next April in Saudi Arabia, while the five best runners-up from the ten groups will also qualify for the final tournament.
The success of the under-20 side and the progress being made by the under-17s highlights the success and ongoing collaboration between Aspire Academy and the Qatar Football Association to develop the national teams at all levels.