Ex-West Ham boss Lopetegui appointed as Qatar’s new head coach

Qatar national team have appointed Julen Lopetegui as their head coach after parting ways with his compatriot Luis Garcia, confirmed by their governing body.

Garcia took charge in December as Marquez Lopez’s successor but struggled to deliver the results.

The Marooners were pushing to appoint Al-Duhail boss Christophe Galtier, but eventually turned their attention towards Lopetegui.

He has penned a two-year contract until 2027. The Spaniard has been out of work since West Ham United sacked him in January.

Lopetegui was also linked with Real Sociedad to replace departing Imanol Alguacil, but the former Wolverhampton Wanderers manager is now braced for an exciting project with Qatar.

He had a brief stint as Spain’s head coach between 2016 and 2018. Despite his undefeated record, Lopetegui was sacked just before the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

He has also managed Porto, Real Madrid and Sevilla.

Lopetegui’s last two stints in the Premier League with Wolves and West Ham United didn’t pan out well. However, he will be eager to make an impact with the Qatari national team.

He landed the Hammers in deeper waters after managing only six wins in 20 games, which eventually led to his dismissal.

The 2022 World Cup hosts endured a disappointing tournament, failing to get past the group stage.

Lopetegui is tasked with helping the Marooners qualify for next year’s World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

They have been underwhelming in the Asian World Cup qualifiers, missing out on a direct opportunity to secure a spot in next year’s showpiece event.

They will play in the fourth round of the qualifiers.