AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023/ Thai National Team Seeks Better Performance in 8th Appearance

Kuala Lumpur, January 08 (QNA) - The Thai national football team is trying to perform better in its eighth continental appearance, during the AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023, which will be held from Jan.12 to Feb.10, 2024. The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) continued to shed light on the teams participating in the continental tournament, talking about the chances of the Thai team playing in Group F, which includes the teams of Saudi Arabia, Oman and Kyrgyzstan. The Football Association of Thailand was founded in 1916, and joined the International Association Football Federation (FIFA) in 1925, and the Asian Football Confederation in 1957. Thailand have never qualified for the World Cup finals, but have reached the Asian Cup finals 7 times before, starting with the 1972 edition, and have won the ASEAN Football Federation Championship 7 times. Thailand played 24 matches in the Asian Cup, winning only twice, drawing nine, losing 13, and scoring 19 goals. Thailand's first participation in the Asian Cup was the most notable when it came in third place, as it finished second in Group A with a point from a 1-1 draw with Iraq and a loss to Iran by two goals to three. Thailand lost the semi-final match to South Korea 1-2 on penalties after a 1-1 draw, then won the third place match after defeating Cambodia 5-3 on penalties after a 2-2 draw. The Japanese Masatada Ishii is the head coach of the Thai national team, and he has the challenge of leading Thailand in the Asian Cup, in light of the growing public ambitions for the national team in the next continental tournament. The 56-year-old Ishii is the second Japanese coach to oversee the Thai national team after Akira Nishino, who took over in 2019 for two years. Ishii, who succeeded Brazilian Alexandre Polking, won many local titles when he was coach of the Japanese Kashima Antlers team, with whom he won the Japanese League title, the 2016 Emperor’s Cup, the 2015 Japan Cup, the 2017 Japanese Super Cup, and second place in the 2016 Club World Cup. He also achieved several Local titles with Thai club Buriram United. The coaching staff of the Thai national team relies on many players, led by Chanathip Songkrasin, who is widely popular in Thailand, to the point that many fans have begun to liken him to the Argentine star Lionel Messi, due to the great artistic potential he possesses, which has shaped a distinguished football career for him so far. Songkrasin, 30, played an influential role in Thailand reaching the round of 16 in the last Asian Cup in the UAE, and hopes are placed on him and his fellow players to perform well in Doha. Thailand will begin the tournament against Kyrgyzstan on Jan.16, followed by Oman on Jan.21, before concluding the group stage with a match against Saudi Arabia on Jan.25. (QNA)