Qatar, in addition to elimination there is also a new negative record

Three knockouts in as many matches for the organizing country’s national team: never happened before

That the Qatar national team’s World Cup would have to end after the group stage was already known after the second day, but with Tuesday’s 0-2 loss against the Netherlands, the Felix Sanchez-led team set, despite itself, a new unenviable record: in fact, it is the first representative of a World Cup organizing country to end the group stage with three defeats in as many matches.

Before the knockout against the Oranje, in fact, Qatar had lost, again by two goals, among others, first to Ecuador (0-2 also in this case) and then to Senegal (1-3). Only South Africa, in 2010, had dropped out of a World Cup played at home after the group stage: the Bafana Bafana, however, closed with 4 points, the result of a draw with Mexico, a defeat against Uruguay, and an unexpected, as much as useless, 2-1 victory against France.

Group A at Qatar 2022 saw the Netherlands fly to the round of 16 as first in the group with 7 points, one more than the other qualifier, Senegal. In addition to Qatar, Ecuador is also forced to leave the rainbow competition, whose 4 points collected in the three matches played were not enough.