Queiroz prioritizes a national team role in pursuit of a sixth World Cup

Carlos Queiroz is currently without a contract. He parted company with the Ghana national team by mutual agreement after unsatisfactory results at the start of qualifying for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations. The Portuguese coach turned down Wydad, whose official had contacted his agent.

Tadeu Martins, Queiroz’s representative, said the club was interested, but his client was aiming for a sixth World Cup appearance. “He wants to become the first coach to take part in six different editions of the World Cup,” Martins said. He added that, at this stage of Queiroz’s career, coaching a national team was a priority. The agent framed that ambition as a “historic achievement.”

Reports in Morocco had recently named Queiroz as one of Wydad’s options to replace Sergio Pablo Brito. However, the club had taken no serious steps until the final hours. Earlier, Kooora had reported serious negotiations between Queiroz and the Bahrain Football Association over taking charge of Bahrain at the 2027 Asian Cup, next January, following the dismissal of Dragan Talajic. Queiroz is not the only candidate under consideration: reports also name Vladimir Petkovic and Félix Sánchez.

Queiroz is considered one of two coaches to have taken part in five World Cup editions, alongside Bora Milutinovic. If he leads a national team at the 2030 edition, due to be held in Spain, Portugal and Morocco, he would set an unprecedented record.