Qualification history
Although Bahrain first participated in the FIFA World Cup™ qualifiers back in 1978, it was decades later before they became genuinely competitive at this level. The side’s gradual improvement culminated in successive play-off berths for the finals: the first against Trinidad and Tobago during the 2006 qualifiers and the second against New Zealand four years later, though on both occasions they failed to overcome the final hurdle.
The current crop
In the last decade Bahrain football has reached new heights, with the national side’s progress to the semi-finals of the 2004 AFC Asian Cup in China sparking a minor revolution in the country’s football landscape. Moreover, many of the team are now playing professional football abroad, something that has further enhanced Bahrain’s performances and raised expectations ahead of the upcoming qualifiers.
The key players
In the wake of the team's 2004 Asian success, a slew of top Arab clubs came in for the leading players, with the likes of Mohamed Salmeen, Mahmood Abdulrahman, Fouzi Aaish, Ismail Abdullatif all benefiting enormously from their time abroad.
Coach: Peter Taylor
Best performance in a FIFA competition: FIFA U-17 World Cup Scotland 1989 (Fourth place)
Former stars: Ahmad Salmeen, Hamoud Sultan, Fouad Boushaqar
