Qatar aiming for the top by 2022

Doha: Qatar's footballing stock may not be anywhere near World Cup standard but their current coach Bruno Metsu feels confident that a team worthy of international standards will be ready for 2022.

Metsu told the media during Thursday's pre-match briefing: "I am sure that for 2022 Qatar will organise a fantastic World Cup. Qatar also has the time to prepare a strong team over the next 11 years and be ready for the World Cup."

The Frenchman, who led Senegal to the 2002 World Cup quarterfinals, stunning the soccer world, and then in 2007 helped the UAE to carve out a Gulf Cup triumph, said: "If we can do well at this Asian Cup it will be good for the future of football in Qatar."

Qatar is grouped with Uzbekistan, Kuwait and China in Group A.

Metsu said he was convinced Qatar fully deserved to stage the World Cup in 2022 and though it was still a long way off he said the world would be impressed when they saw the event.

"I think people will be surprised. The stadiums will be ready for spectators and players and it will be fantastic for football. The weather will not be a problem as Qatar has solutions to take care of that," he said. "While the focus is to improve the quality of Qatari players by 2022 the facilities that they will unveil will certainly take the whole world by surprise."