Portuguese Coach Carlos Queiroz Chases World Cup History with Oman

For most people in Portugal the Asian qualifiers rarely raise an eyebrow, yet this week a familiar Trás-os-Montes accent will echo across the Gulf. Carlos Queiroz, the globetrotting coach whose career has already taken in the benches of Real Madrid, the Iranian seleção and the Portuguese national team, is now tasked with steering Oman through the last, narrow gate toward the 2026 World Cup. Two matches—first against Qatar and then the United Arab Emirates—will decide whether the tiny sultanate can finally step onto football’s biggest stage and whether the veteran Portuguese tactician can add another improbable chapter to his résumé.

A familiar face in unfamiliar colours — Portuguese pride abroad

Although he left the Federação’s orbit more than a decade ago, Queiroz remains one of the most recognisable ambassadors of Portuguese coaching know-how. The 72-year-old from Nampula built his reputation on the back of meticulous preparation, iron defensive organisation and a near-academic attention to detail. After leading Iran to two consecutive World Cups and flirting with success in Egypt and Colombia, he accepted Oman’s invitation on 15 July 2025. From Lisbon cafés to Porto’s tasquinhas, curiosity has grown: can a Portuguese mind turn an underdog with barely 5M inhabitants into Asia’s surprise package while carrying our flag—albeit stitched onto a different badge?

The road to North America: how Oman can make history

Asia’s fourth qualifying round is brutal: only the group winner earns a direct ticket, the runner-up faces an intercontinental play-off, and everyone else watches on television. Oman were drawn in Group A with heavyweights Qatar—the current Asian champions—and the United Arab Emirates. On paper the Gulf neighbours boast deeper squads and loftier FIFA rankings, yet recent Gulf Cup memories are still fresh: Oman shocked Qatar 2-1 in December 2024. The first of the decisive fixtures arrives this Thursday at the Al-Khalifa Stadium in Doha, followed by a short hop to Dubai three days later. Bookmakers see Qatar as clear favourites, pricing an Omani victory between €5.20 and €6.60, but even the odds-setters admit Queiroz’s teams have an annoying habit of upsetting probability.

Tactical blueprint: from Coimbra to Muscat

Those who tracked Queiroz’s stints with Portugal’s under-20 golden generation will recognise the DNA he is now grafting onto the Red Warriors. Training sessions in Izmir and Muscat have drilled a compact 4-2-3-1 that can morph into a 4-3-3 or 4-1-4-1 on demand, always with two screening midfielders shielding the back four. Quick, direct transitions seek to exploit the pace of Muhsen Al-Ghassani and Essam Al-Subhi, while captain Jameel Al-Yahmadi acts as the creative fulcrum. Queiroz has also preached what he calls “one heart, one flag”, demanding full commitment from local clubs, federation officials and, crucially, supporters who fill the Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex in Muscat with drumming that rattles visiting keepers.

Early signs under Queiroz: numbers worth noting

The raw sample is small—four competitive matches in the CAFA Nations Cup—but trends are emerging. Oman have not lost in regulation time, scoring six and conceding four. Perhaps more telling is their habit of striking late: three of those goals arrived after the 90-minute mark, evidence of newfound resilience. Possession stats swing wildly (from 40 % against Uzbekistan to 76 % versus Turkmenistan), underlining a coach willing to tailor strategy rather than chase stylistic purity. The FIFA ranking has nudged from 79th to 78th, hardly fireworks but a positive tick that federations value when grant money is allocated.

Beyond the touchline: mobilising a nation

Queiroz understands that technical tweaks only go so far in a country where cricket once rivalled football for popularity. He has therefore embarked on a nation-wide charm offensive, meeting Omani university students, inviting school coaches to open training sessions and urging the private sector to fund grassroots pitches on the Batinah coast. In interviews he repeats a simple mantra—“cinco milhões de pessoas, mas um só coração”—a phrase now printed on red scarves sold in Muscat souks. The atmosphere echoes the fervour of Portugal’s Euro 2004 summer, albeit on a smaller scale, and players insist the emotional lift already shows in camp.

What’s at stake this week

Should Oman emerge top of the mini-group, they would punch their first-ever ticket to a World Cup and Queiroz would equal his personal record of qualifying four different national teams. A draw in Doha followed by victory in Dubai could be enough, depending on goal difference. Failure, on the other hand, would throw them into the lottery of inter-zone play-offs against South American or CONCACAF opposition—territory where Queiroz’s encyclopaedic scouting might again come in handy. For Portuguese fans the subplot is irresistible: a compatriot chasing glory 7 000 km away, waving our coaching philosophy like a hidden flag inside the Omani dressing-room. Qatar may boast deeper pockets and the UAE flashier infrastructure, yet in football—as in life—sometimes belief, discipline and the right person on the touchline are worth more than gold leaf on a stadium façade.