Qatar 2020/21 Away *Brand New* (Medium)

This white Nike shirt comes from a period when Qatar prepared for the 2022 World Cup in a completely different way from a normal host nation.

Because they had already qualified automatically, Qatar were invited to join European qualifying Group A as a guest team. They played Portugal, Serbia, Ireland, Luxembourg and Azerbaijan, although their results did not count towards the standings. It gave the squad regular matches against European opposition without affecting anybody’s qualification campaign. 

Then came an even stranger invitation. As the reigning Asian champions, Qatar entered the 2021 CONCACAF Gold Cup in North America, their first appearance in the competition.

They immediately reached the semi-finals, scoring freely before losing 1–0 to the United States through a late goal. For a team playing outside its own confederation, on another continent, it was a pretty serious debut. 

The shirt itself keeps Qatar’s national colours simple. Maroon moves from the main colour to the details, framing the white body around the collar, sleeves and sides. Even the Arabic “Qatar” on the back of the neck gives the clean design a specific national touch. 

So this is not merely Qatar’s white change shirt. It comes from the year the Asian champions prepared for their home World Cup by playing European qualifiers and then crossing the Atlantic for the Gold Cup.