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Qatar will participate in the World Cup this summer.
Credit: Deportes Velez-Malaga Facebook page.
Dreamers are found in every small town, but only a few of them actually succeed.
A local hero has made it all the way from the quiet streets in Velez-Malaga, to the largest football stage on earth. Alvaro ReinaThe 45-year old Benamargosa native just did it. The Andalusian Coach will be going to the FIFA World Cup 2026 in the United States of America, Mexico and Canada. Qatar, not Spain.
Reina, who was the coach of Real Madrid and Spain in the past, will now be working as Julen Lopetegui’s right-hand person.
Qatar’s World Cup ticket is a dramatic one
Reina’s squad booked their place in a heart-attack style. Qatar defeated the United Arab Emirates in a thrilling qualifier on October 14 at Al-Rayyan Stadium. Final score 2-1, but survived 15 minutes extra time and an early scare.
Boualem Khoukhi, Pedro Miguel and the rest of the local team were the heroes that night. They gave Qatar a two goal cushion before the chaos began. After a red-card, a goal in the 98th minutes from Sultan Adill Alamiri and a nervous final whistle, the Qataris were qualified for world’s biggest competition.
The UAE would have had to leave the World Cup if they even drew that match. Reina’s and Lopetegui’s benches erupted with wild celebration.
A quiet career leads to a global jump
Credit: Deportes Velez-Malaga Facebook page.
Alvaro Reina, unlike some of those ex-players who have become coaches, is not flashy. He’s a football nerd, the kind that dreams and plays Football manager. He’s analytical, sometimes obsessive, and with a résumé that’s quietly elite. He has worked in the background at Deportivo Alaves and Levante.
He has also traveled a lot in his career. He’s worked with the Panama national team, Dnipro (Ukraine) and English clubs, like Watford or Huddersfield.
This mix of football cultures made him standout for Lopetegui’s project in Qatar. The Velez man is a master at adapting to any situation.
From Axarquia and the world
This is not just a happy story for Velez-Malaga or the Axarquia. Reina represents the next generation of Spanish coaches, who have taken their expertise beyond their own country to take on challenges far beyond their comfort zones.
Reina carries a little bit of Andalusian Pride with him as he prepares for his World Cup debut. Many Axarquia fans will cheer him on when he takes the World Cup stage in next summer. This is our man.
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