Xavi Hernandez, Pep Guardiola to Raul Gonzalez - Famous players who have played in Qatar
The Qatar Stars League (QSL), which is the top-level football league of Qatar's league system, was founded in 1972. Al Sadd, coached by Barcelona legend Xavi Hernandez, is the most successful club in the history of the league with 15 titles to their name. They are also the reigning champions.
As a part of the development of the league, in 2003, the Qatar Football Association (QFA) decided to bring big names to the QSL as they allocated $10,000,000 to each club to buy a star player. Former Barcelona star Pep Guardiola and Argentina legend Gabriel Batistuta were among the first marquee signings of the league.
Since Guardiola and Batistuta's arrival, several big names have plied their trade in Qatar which includes Real Madrid great Raul Gonzalez and Barcelona's Xavi Hernandez Former Tottenham Hotspur defender Toby Alderweireld and Everton attacker James Rodriguez are among the latest big-name players to join the Asian league.
Here, we take a look at the star players who have played in the Qatar Stars League over the years.
Pep Guardiola
Club: Al Ahli Doha
Years: 2003-05
Country: Spain
Gabriel Batistuta
Club: Al Arabi
Years: 2003-05
Country: Argentina
Raul Gonzalez
Club: Al Sadd
Years: 2012-14
Country: Spain
Frank de Boer
Clubs: Al Rayyan, Al Shamal
Years: 2004-05, 2005-06
Country: Netherlands
Juninho
Club: Al Gharafa
Years: 2009-11
Country: Brazil
Xavi Hernandez
Club: Al Sadd
Years: 2015-19
Country: Spain
Wesley Sneijder
Club: Al Gharafa
Years: 2018-19
Country: Netherlands
Marcel Desailly
Clubs: Al Gharafa, Qatar SC
Years: 2004-05, 2005-06
Country: France
Tobby Alderweireld
Club: 2021-present
Years: Al Duhail
Country: Belgium
James Rodriguez
Club: Al Rayyan
Years: 2021-present
Country: Colombia
Samuel Eto'o
Club: Qatar SC
Years: 2018-19
Country: Cameroon
Santi Cazorla
Club: Al Sadd
Years: 2020-present
Country: Spain
Mario Mandzukic
Club: Al Duhail
Years: 2019-20
Country: Croatia
Nijel De Jong
Club: Al Ahli, Al-Shahania
Years: 2018-19, 2019-20
Country: Netherlands