Doha – Qena:
The Qatari national football team has established itself as one of the most prominent headlines in the first round of the 2026 World Cup, after it snatched a valuable draw against the Swiss national team with a similar goal in the second group of the World Cup currently being held in the United States, Mexico and Canada, which continues until next July 19.
The importance of the result did not stop at the extent of Al-Adam getting the first point in its history in the World Cup during its second participation in the tournament after its first appearance in the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 edition, but rather extended beyond that, after the team received wide praise from a number of international media outlets that highlighted the distinguished technical level, tactical discipline and strong personality that the team showed against one of the most stable and experienced European teams on the international scene.
The majority of media coverage unanimously agreed that the Qatari team presented a mature performance that reflected the extent of development witnessed by Qatari football in recent years, after it was able to withstand Swiss pressure for long periods of the match, before succeeding in returning the result during stoppage time through a goal by veteran defender Khoukhi Boualem, in a scene that embodied the high fighting spirit that the players displayed until the final moments.
The American website “ESPN” saw that the Qatari team achieved a remarkable surprise after snatching a late draw against the Swiss team to claim the first point in its history in the World Cup.
The website explained, in a report titled “Switzerland feels very disappointed after being denied victory against Qatar, which is proud of its first point in the World Cup,” that the Swiss team took the lead through Brill Embolo from a penalty kick, but failed to translate its advantage into a victory despite controlling the course of the match, at a time when the Qatari team showed great cohesion and a clear ability to withstand.
The report added that the fourth minute of stoppage time witnessed the equalizing goal being scored, which ignited great joy among the Qatari players and fans, in contrast to clear disappointment within the Swiss camp, which believed it was on its way to getting the three points.
The website concluded by noting that the Qatari team hopes that this tie will constitute a turning point in its World Cup career, and will help it turn the page on its previous participation in the 2022 World Cup when it became the first host team to lose all its matches in the group stage.
For her part, Italian writer Alice Caccamo believed that a new page in the history of Qatari football was written at Santa Clara Stadium in the United States, when the Qatari team succeeded in imposing a draw on the Swiss team, contrary to all prior expectations.
She added in an analysis published by the Italian electronic newspaper “CalcioWeb” under the title “A Qatari achievement thanks to Abu Nada’s saves”, that the Swiss team, which entered the match ecstatic with its historic victory over Italy in the round of 16 of the European Championship 2024, collided with a Qatari team that showed great pride and a high fighting spirit, in addition to the remarkable brilliance of goalkeeper Mahmoud Abu Nada, who played an exceptional match and saved his goal on more than one decisive occasion.
She pointed out that the Qatari team refused to give up until the final whistle, achieving a result that she described as a historic victory for Qatari football, compared to a great disappointment for the Swiss team, which wasted a victory that seemed within its reach.
In turn, the Kazakh News Agency “DKNews” considered that the result of the match represented a milestone in the history of Qatari football, especially since it came after the previous participation, which ended without achieving any point.
The agency noted that the Qatari team appeared in a more mature and confident manner compared to its first participation, and succeeded in achieving a positive result against one of the most stable teams in European football in recent years.
The report added that this result reflects the extent of development witnessed by Qatari football, thanks to the development of sports infrastructure, the preparation of young players, and the benefit from international technical expertise that contributed to raising the level of the national team.
The agency concluded its report by emphasizing that the Qatari national team has now become a respected competitor at the international level, and that the next challenge is to achieve its first World Cup victory and continue progress towards higher levels of competitiveness.
The British newspaper “The Telegraph” shed light on the arbitration controversy that accompanied the match between Qatar and Switzerland at the beginning of the second group competitions of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, after the decision to award a penalty kick in favor of the Swiss team raised many questions.
The newspaper explained that television replays showed suspicion of offside against Swiss midfielder Remo Frelier before he was obstructed by goalkeeper Mahmoud Abu Nada inside the penalty area, which sparked widespread debate about the validity of the decision.
The newspaper added in a report entitled “Qatar surprises Switzerland” that the Qatari team punished its Swiss counterpart for retreating in the last minutes, eventually snatching a deserved draw.
As for the Swiss media, they treated the result as an unexpected stumble for the Swiss team, in contrast to widespread Qatari celebration of the first historic point in the World Cup.
The Swiss Radio and Television Network (RTS) said in a report titled “Switzerland fails at the start of its World Cup campaign” that the Swiss team missed a win that was within its reach, while Qatar celebrated a historic tie in the World Cup.
The network added that the Qatari team took advantage of the last moments in the best possible way when Khoukhi Boualem rose and scored the equalizing goal with a header that it described as wonderful, considering that Switzerland had put itself in a complicated situation due to its inability to settle the match early.
The Swiss newspaper “20 Minutes” considered that the result was disappointing for the Swiss team, which wasted many opportunities and did not succeed in adding a second goal that would resolve the confrontation.
As for the newspaper “24heures”, it said that the Qatari team succeeded in surprising the Swiss and forcing them to settle for one point, despite its reliance on defensive organization. It also saw that the Swiss team seemed hesitant and restricted in many periods of the match.
For its part, the newspaper “La Liberté” quoted the statements of the Swiss national team captain, Granit Xhaka, who praised the level presented by the Qatari team and its goalkeeper, Mahmoud Abu Nada. Xhaka said: “The Qatari goalkeeper played a world-class match, and we must also show respect to the Qatari team, which held out throughout the match before taking advantage of its opportunity.”
He added, according to the newspaper, that the lack of discipline on the field does not allow victory over a team like Qatar, in a clear indication of his respect for the level presented by Al-Adam.
In turn, the newspaper “Le Nouvelliste” described the result as a failure for the Swiss team, considering that the result was disappointing, at a time when Qatar celebrated a draw that carried great moral value against one of the strong European teams.
As for the newspaper “Blick”, it praised the performance of the Qatari team, stressing that the men of Spanish coach Julen Lopetegui showed a strong personality and high fighting spirit, and were not an easy opponent despite the continuous Swiss pressure.
She added that the Qatari team continued to fight until the last minute, to be rewarded with the equalizer, which gave it the first point in its history in the World Cup.
Most international media coverage agreed that the Qatari team presented a convincing performance from both a tactical and mental standpoint, and succeeded in imposing its respect on a European competitor with extensive experience in international tournaments.
The repeated praises of goalkeeper Mahmoud Abu Nada, coach Julen Lopetegui, and the fighting spirit shown by the players also reflected a positive image of the development witnessed by Qatari football and the ability of the “Adam” to compete better in the current edition of the World Cup.
Although there is still a long way to go in the tournament, the point that the Qatari team took against Switzerland appeared, in the eyes of many international media outlets, to be more than just a draw in the first round, but rather a clear message that the “Adam” entered the 2026 World Cup with a different mentality and ambition that goes beyond the limits of participation.
