Lopetegui: Cristiano Ronaldo and Messi can stay at the top for many years not just because of talent

Lopetegui, the head coach of the Qatar national team, accepted an exclusive interview with "Marca". He talks about his thoughts on Yamal, his time coaching Qatar, the Premier League and his relationship with Real Madrid.

First of all, coach, let us remember Ocho Torena. He is your best friend.

I lost an older brother, a man who had taken care of me since 1985. He was at Real Madrid at the time and I had just arrived at Castilla. Him, and his wife... 'Ochotto' was an outstanding goalkeeper and a true pioneer among goalkeeper coaches. He enjoyed the glory of the Spanish national team winning the championship with the utmost humility. He is an example worth following. May he rest in peace in heaven.

He is very low-key, which is a rare quality nowadays. He is reliable, loyal and professional. The last thing that interests him is his personal self. He lives up to the traditional rules of the locker room and is a fun guy off the court. I had just talked to him not long ago and I knew he was sick, but I always held out hope. What a shame.

The norms of football have changed, look what happened in El Clasico.

Society has changed, but this is not entirely the fault of young people. Everything has changed. What hasn’t changed is what is right and what is wrong. This should remain unchanged. Young people have to be focused, and the more professional they are off the court, the better they will be on the court. Focus more on playing football rather than creating headlines for your media. That way they will be better players.

Are you talking about Yamal?

No, I mean generally. Yamal is only 18 years old and we have to hope that the circumstances surrounding him give him the greatest peace and allow him to become the person we all believe he can become. Becoming one of the best in the world doesn't happen overnight, it's work over many years. To do this, you have to take care of the little things every day. Cristiano Ronaldo and Messi are examples: staying at the top for many years is not just because of talent, but also because of choosing the right lifestyle and knowing how to continue to improve. Yamal has an extraordinary talent and hopefully everyone around him will help him with the great career ahead of him.

You became a hero after leading Qatar to qualify for the World Cup for the first time.

The country is very excited. This is the first time they have qualified and it comes after they hosted the World Cup, which is crucial. And we also knocked out the UAE, which is a rival in the region... They had beaten us twice before, but we did it.

Did you receive many congratulations, including from Madrid? Yes of course. Emilio Butragueno is never absent. In Qatar, the emir was very happy. I met him later and he was delighted. Up close, I found him to be super approachable.

You achieved this achievement in just six games.

We won against Iran, which is a strong team in the region, which was crucial, and then we passed the two playoff games. Within a month, we had to quickly absorb the football culture of the region. I or my team have watched all the matches of the Qatar League since August because here, it is so close and it can be done. This understanding allowed us to remain competitive during a historic milestone.

Qatar lost all three games in 2022. What are the goals for the 2026 World Cup?

First of all, we must determine the team lineup before June. The pressure is there, but the dream of the World Cup is even stronger. We will work hard to compete. Maybe we have to make some changes to the team and we are working towards that.

The three greatest successes of Qatari football have all been directed by Spaniards: Felix Sanchez and Tintin Marquez winning the Asian Cup, and your current achievements. How do you explain that?

The Spanish coach is very well prepared. Felix and Tintin know the country very well and it's important to get used to it. Participating in the World Cup brings prestige to these countries. Now, coaches like Vicente Moreno, David Platz, Santi Denia or Pablo Amo are also doing well here and contributing a lot to the Qatar League. I give credit to my amazing team.

Have you communicated with de la Fuente?

We send messages to each other. I like him a lot and sometimes he doesn't get the recognition he deserves. He's done a fantastic job and he's already done that with the lower national teams. He's a great guy and I'm happy for him.

Can you imagine Spain vs. Qatar in the World Cup draw in December? I'll face it without thinking it's against my country and try to stay competitive because the World Cup is a dream.