Afif was only 23 when he ran out at the FIFA Club World Cup Japan 2011, having made a big contribution to Al Sadd’s second continental title, playing eight matches in their victorious AFC Champions League campaign.
Though he missed Al Sadd’s first two matches in the competition – a 2-1 win over Esperance Sportive de Tunis and a 4-0 semi-final defeat to Barcelona – he came on for the last 18 minutes of the match for third place against host team Kashiwa Reysol, a game Al Sadd won 5-3 on penalties.
Now 33, the forward spoke exclusively to FIFA.com about the importance of a competition he hopes to feature in again this year. “I didn’t play a lot [in the 2011 competition], but the Club World Cup is a very demanding tournament,” said Afif. “The coach wanted to give everyone some playing time and a chance to compete at this level.”
A month after his maiden FIFA Club World Cup appearance, Afif left Al Sadd to join Lekhwiya, which has since become Al Duhail SC. It was there that he embarked on a successful new phase in his career, helping the club to win six Qatari league titles, the latest of which came last season and earned them a place at the FIFA Club World Cup Qatar 2020.
“I’m delighted to be one of the few Qatari players to play in the Club World Cup twice, which is not something many players can say,” he added, before discussing Al Duhail’s bid to better Al Sadd’s run to the semi-finals ten years ago. “It’s always pleasing to equal records but we’ve got the ability to reach the final and go one step further than Al Sadd did in 2011. We need a bit of luck to do that. And when it comes to knockout matches you also need to use your head sometimes.”
The Qatari champions received a bye into the second round of Qatar 2020 when their scheduled first-round opponents, New Zealand side Auckland City, pulled out of the tournament due to the nation’s coronavirus restrictions.
That does not mean to say, however, that Afif and Al Duhail will have it easy in their bid to go far in the competition. Their first opponents will be reigning African champions Al Ahly, a team with considerable Club World Cup experience, having made five previous appearances in the competition.
“There’s no question that Al Ahly are one of the biggest sides in Africa. They were named the continent’s club of the 20th century,” said Afif ahead of the meeting with the Egyptians on February 4 at Education City Stadium.
“We’ll see what happens against the African champions but it’s 11 versus 11,” he added. “If we beat Al Ahly, we’ll then play Bayern Munich, but we have to face the African champions first. We have to prepare and focus on how to play them because they’re a great side too.”
Afif was part of the Qatar team that won the country’s first ever AFC Asian Cup title in 2019, a tournament in which his younger brother Akram played a starring role. Afif’s aim now is to use his experience and help his young Al Duhail teammates make history at Qatar 2020.
“I give thanks to God for all the success I’ve achieved and for playing at two Club World Cups,” he said, wrapping things up. “I’d like to thank Al Sadd, Al Duhail and the Qatar Football Association for showing faith in me and my football career. I’ll use all my experience for the good of the team. It makes me really happy that the players are proud of me and proud of having me by their side at Al Duhail.”
We want to be the best representative of Qatar, says Lamouchi
Meanwhile, Al Duhail’s coach Sabri Lamouchi expressed his excitement about the forthcoming Club World Cup. “It’s a great opportunity, even if I wasn’t at the helm of the team that won the league title,” he said. “Credit goes to the coach who was here before me. The tournament will give my players a chance to showcase their skills at a higher level.”
The Frenchman of Tunisian decent sounded a cautious note, clearly in an attempt not to give the fans false hope. “I’m here because the team had some issues last year and the club’s management wanted to introduce some changes,” he said.
“Our goal is to be more competitive and be the best representative of Qatar and the Qatari league. We must be realistic about our goals and acknowledge the fact that we are taking part in this tournament because Qatar is the host country and that we won the league last year,” he said. “Winning the title isn’t my aim. We’ll be taking things one game at a time. We’re lucky to be playing at this level. It is a big challenge and we mustn’t be overly optimistic.”
Having first played in Qatar 15 years ago, Lamouchi is no stranger to the country. When asked his opinion of the nation that will play host to several massive football tournaments, most notably the FIFA Club World Cup and the FIFA World Cup, he said: “I came to Qatar as a player in 2006, then as a coach in 2015 and now I’m back. The country has changed a lot in terms of facilities, the infrastructure, the roads and the airport.”
“Other things have improved such as the stadiums that are being built,” he said. “Clubs are now more professional, and the league has become more competitive. Moreover, Qatar have recently won the AFC Asian Cup. I’m very excited that the World Cup is coming to Qatar,” he added. “No one thought the World Cup would be organised here one day but preparations are on the right track. Transportation is much better than it was 15 years ago, and life in Qatar has become more comfortable. The country is developing fast, so I look forward to seeing the World Cup being held for the first time in a Muslim country and in the Middle East. I believe it’ll be a great success.”