It is probably fair to say that Julen Lopetegui’s time in English football wasn’t the best.
The Spaniard first arrived on English shores in November 2023, when he answered an SOS call from Wolves who had sacked Bruno Lage at the start of October.
Wolves had first looked to appoint Julen Lopetegui back in 2016, but he instead accepted a proposal to manage the Spain national team.
But he eventually wound up at Molineux, and spent nine months at the club before walking away due to frustrations over recruitment.
He would then manage West Ham United, but never convinced the fans he was the right man for the job and did not pick up enough results. He lasted 192 days as Hammers boss.
Lopetegui then spent around four months out, before taking on a job no one really saw coming.
- READ MORE: How Julen Lopetegui actually convinced Matheus Cunha to sign for Wolves ahead of Everton in 2023
Julen Lopetegui takes Qatar to the 2026 World Cup
On May 1 Lopetegui was appointed as the head coach of the Qatar national team.
Eyebrows were raised, but Lopetegui – after he walked away from Wolves and then struggled at West Ham – has done a decent job.
And last night, his Qatar side beat the United Arab Emirates 2-1, which means they will play at the 2026 World Cup next year in North America. In six games managed so far, he has won two, drawn two and lost two.
It will be a second consecutive finals for Qatar, but the first time they will ever be there on merit, after hosting in 2022.
Lopetegui’s joy was clear for all to see last night, as he danced alongside his players in front of a delighted Al-Sadd Stadium.
Personal redemption for Lopetegui
Obviously Lopetegui was delighted about taking Qatar to next year’s World Cup as an achievement in itself.
But some will remember Lopetegui losing his job as Spain manager on the eve of the 2018 World Cup, after it was announced that he would be taking the Real Madrid job after that tournament.
At the time, Lopetegui described his sacking as ‘unfair’. He said (via Football Espana): “It was not easy for me
“We worked very hard for two years, we felt that we were ready to have a fantastic World Cup.
“Two months previously, when I signed a new contract with Spain, they put a buyout clause in. It was the idea of Luis Rubiales, I agreed it with him no problem and then it [the Real Madrid job offer] happened.
“The timing was not chosen by me or Real Madrid – I said yes, but I knew the World Cup was my only responsibility. To keep it secret for one month is impossible and was not honest.
“It was a very hard moment and I will never forget it because it was a surprise. I felt it was very unfair.”
He’ll now have the chance to finally manage at a World Cup finals, and he’ll certainly hope to cause a few upsets with the 53rd-ranked nation.