Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Few players understand the weight of expectation around the AFC Asian Cup better than Qatar’s Khalfan Ibrahim.
The former AFC Asian Player of the Year and AFC Asian Champions League winner has claimed nearly all there is on offer in Asian Football, and is focused on adding the AFC Asian Cup to his trophy cabinet.
Following his side’s defeat of the upcoming tournament host nation Australia, where he scored the only goal of the match, Ibrahim believes Qatar must continue to work hard if they are to challenge at the Cup in January.
“We must correct the mistakes we have made in the past,” said Ibrahim.
“The last four or five years haven’t been good and we have to fix those mistakes.”
The iconic striker – nicknamed Khalfaninho by the Qatari supports in reference to Brazilian Ronaldinho – will be crucial to his side’s chances of fixing those mistakes and Ibrahim believes Qatar’s success lies in how honest the players are with themselves.
“We need to improve our preparation, not so much the physical but the psychological side. You have to realise your ranking in Asia, where you stand exactly.
“If you know this you will be more concentrated, more prepared.
“There are so many teams better than us and many at the same level as us, as well as some below. We are not the best in Asia and we have to know that. We must know our standard.”
However, after recent victories over Australia (1-0), Lebanon (5-0) and fellow AFC Asian Cup nation Uzbekistan (3-0), Ibrahim and his side will be confident they can bring a strong series of form into the Cup and challenge for a place in the knock-out rounds.
Ibrahim understands though what it takes to succeed however the possible stresses that come with it.
After debuting for club side Al-Sadd as a 17-year-old in 2004, Ibrahim was crowned AFC Asian Player of the Year two years later.
However, this year did not come without its own downfalls as the young Ibrahim began to feel the weight of expectation firmly set upon him.
“Winning the award had a negative effect because the national team, the club and also the supporters, they were looking for me to be the best player in Asia, not only on paper but also on field. There was more pressure on me and I thought it was negative.
“The injury I had, I think it was good for me in some way because it took me out of the spotlight. But it’s good now that I can stand any pressure that comes my way because I’ve had that experience,”
In what was a tough period for Ibrahim, the enigmatic striker believes he learnt to strengthen himself and better handle adversity.
“I’ve had all the pressure when I was young and now I can take anything. So it was a good experience and I’m ready for anything, from the national team or the club.”
Qatar will hope Ibrahim can take that steely resolve to the 2015 AFC Asian Cup in Australia and give them the best chance of challenging the top nations in the knock-out phase of the tournament.