Santi Cazorla says the Qatar national team will be much better for their experience of being World Cup hosts, while he also backed Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta to return the Premier League club to past glory.
The former Spain international, who currently plays for Qatar Stars League side Al Sadd, watched the finals with a vested interest having lived in Qatar since August 2020.
The World Cup, the first in the Arab world, concluded on Sunday with Argentina crowned champions after a thrilling penalty-shoot-out win against then-holders France.
However, the Qatar national team struggled in their inaugural appearance at a global finals, becoming the first host nation in World Cup history to lose all three group matches. The reigning Asian champions joined South Africa, in2010, as the only home country who failed to make the knockout stages.
“I think they felt too much pressure because they play here at home in front of their families, friends, their people,” Cazorla told The National at Al Sadd Club. “And it’s the World Cup, it is not easy – you play against big teams. Those teams are thinking about this competition as well – it's a dream come true for all of them.
“So, I think it's something they will remember forever, for sure, but I think it's a little bit difficult for them to compete in that level. Because it's completely different than the level they played before in other competitions.
“But they know the level now. What it is in Europe, at the World Cup. They must learn from it, they have to improve in a lot of things. But, of course, they are improving.
“I'm sure national team of Qatar will be better in the future; they will compete better against big teams in Europe because of this World Cup. And they must believe in that, for sure.”
Qatar, managed by Spaniard Felix Sanchez, kicked off the tournament on November 20 with a 2-0 defeat to Ecuador – the first hosts to suffer defeat in their opening match. They then lost 3-1 to Senegal before ending their campaign with a 2-0 defeat to the Netherlands.
Cazorla, who helped Spain win back-to-back European Championships in 2008 and 2012, was in contact with a large number of Qatar’s players throughout the World Cup – half of their 26-man squad play for Al Sadd – and tried to offer advice about competing on that stage. He represented Spain at the 2014 finals in Brazil.
“Of course, the first game was the worst day for them,” Cazorla said. “Because they start the competition, first day of the tournament, in front of the world – this is a competition all the people watch – and I think they felt this pressure in that game.
“After that game, in the second and in the third, they competed better. They tried to enjoy because you have to enjoy this competition. You never know if you can play it again.
“And now they are thinking about what they did, to play a World Cup. It's an amazing thing for them, too.”
Enjoy the culture
Cazorla, 38, signed for Al Sadd on a free transfer in the summer of 2020 having ended his second stint with Villarreal in Spain’s La Liga. Xavi, his former national team captain, was Al Sadd manager at the time.
Cazorla therefore saw the latter stages of preparations for Qatar 2022 at close quarters, and said the weather, the atmosphere, the training facilities, the compact nature of the tournament, and the eight stadiums that staged matches – seven were built for the World Cup – made the event a success.
“I want to say congratulations, because the people worked so hard to try to make Qatar one of the best World Cups, and I say also thank you very much to the people who worked to try to make this possible in this country.
“To be here with this competition, it's a dream come true for them. For these people to have the opportunity to watch [Lionel] Messi, Cristiano [Ronaldo], Neymar – lot of good players in the history of football – it's a very important thing for them, because they dream. They believe they can be like that, and they can have these kinds of things here in Qatar.”
Cazorla said he hoped hosting a tournament of the World Cup’s stature would change perception of Qatar as a country.
“Of course, it’s very important,” Cazorla said. “But it's why people must come here. Because it's easy to speak, if you don't know anything about the culture, how they live here. It's why they have to come to see, and after that speak about that. It's my opinion on that.
“I have a lot of friends in Spain; they come to watch the World Cup and all of them are surprised. The best way to know how it is, is to come to see this country: who are the people, how they live, how they respect you every day.”
Arteta leading the way
Meanwhile, Cazorla, who played for Arsenal for six years from 2012, said he has been impressed by Arteta’s transition to management. A former teammate of Cazorla’s at the North London club, the Spaniard has guided his side to the top of the Premier League before it paused for the World Cup. It resumes on Monday.
“I'm really happy for him,” Cazorla said. “He helped me a lot when I arrived to Arsenal, because I didn't speak any English at all. He was a very important person, for me and also for my family.
“He was the captain when I was there. And I started to feel then he will be a very good coach. He has a good personality and started to think about tactics when he was a player.
“He deserves everything now because he knows perfectly who Arsenal are as a club. He knows the way to try to improve the young players, and they are doing well.
“I hope they keep going because it's not easy now to fight with [Manchester] City, Chelsea, Liverpool, [Manchester] United, Tottenham [Hotspur]. They are first in the table; hopefully it’s like this until the end and they win the league again.”
Cazorla made 180 appearances for Arsenal, however his final 18 months were ravaged by serious injury. During his time at the Emirates, he won two FA Cups, scoring in the 3-2 final win against Hull in 2014.
Asked what he believed was the secret to Arsenal’s strong start in the league – they are five points clear of second-placed City, with one defeat in 14 matches – Cazorla said: “For sure, the most important thing is the dressing room, to be together as a family. Because when I watch the games, they are a good family inside the dressing room and all look together for the same target.
“And, certainly, it’s because Mikel Arteta is there, because he knows it’s a very important part of football. It’s why Arsenal are improving and are at the top of the table now.”
Arsenal resume their league campaign on Monday, at home to West Ham United, but will have to make do without joint-top scorer Gabriel Jesus. The Brazil international, a summer signing from City, suffering medial ligament damage last month at the World Cup, with reports suggesting he will be out for four months.
On whether Arsenal could nevertheless sustain a title challenge as they seek to win the league for the first time since 2004, Cazorla said: “Well, bad news now with the injury of Gabriel Jesus. This guy is a very important player for them. He's doing well. We'll see if they sign another striker.
“But yes, they must believe. They are against Man City, Chelsea, Liverpool; normally they are better, but Arsenal are competing well. Why not that they can continue like this until the end of the season? I believe, and I trust, and, of course, I hope.”
