The Azerbaijan national football team is kicking off its campaign in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. Our team will play its first match on September 5 in Reykjavik against Iceland. Considering that France and Ukraine are also in the group, head coach Fernando Santos’ players face what seems like a nearly impossible mission in these qualifiers.
Idman.biz reports that our team’s winless streak has dragged on for quite some time.
The last victory came in June of last year – in a friendly against Kazakhstan (3:2). That happened before Fernando Santos took charge.
The Portuguese coach has constantly been the target of criticism and has yet to give any real reasons for optimism. The team’s style of play remains unclear, and many questions linger regarding squad selection. Under these conditions, it is questionable how the team will be able to compete not only against France, but even against Iceland and Ukraine. With the European champion at the helm, the national team has played 10 matches, suffering 8 defeats and drawing 2: a goalless stalemate with Estonia in the Nations League and another with Latvia in a friendly.
To get results, however, goals are needed. Who will take responsibility for scoring in Reykjavik? On paper, the attacking line looks strong – Mahir Emreli, Musa Qurbanly, Nariman Akhundzada, Renat Dadashov, and Ozan Can Kokcu are all in the squad. But in what combination they will take the field remains an open question – one of the biggest queries directed at Santos. Moreover, against a strong Iceland side at home, the team is expected to play mainly defensive football.
The opponent’s squad includes players competing in Europe’s top leagues. The hosts are certain to favor a physically strong game and are very comfortable playing this style. Ahead of the qualifiers, Iceland played two friendlies in June – defeating Scotland 3:1 and losing 0:1 to Northern Ireland.
To date, Azerbaijan and Iceland have only met once – 17 years ago, in a 2008 friendly that ended 1:1. A repeat of such a result in Reykjavik would be very welcome, though hopes for that remain slim. The hosts aim to secure 3 points and will most likely start the match as the dominant side. Azerbaijan, on the other hand, will try to achieve something through defense and counterattacks.
Even in terms of organization, Iceland has the upper hand. For Azerbaijan, the squad – especially the midfield line – keeps changing frequently. Only Emin Mahmudov stands out as an experienced name, while the others rotate constantly.
Nevertheless, Santos remains optimistic: “In football, any result is possible. Based on recent matches and training camps, I can say that the players are working well. This gives hope for a positive result.”
Let’s see how the qualifiers begin in Reykjavik. Just four days later, the national team will host Ukraine in Baku.
Zaki Feyzullayev
Idman.biz
