Félix Sánchez (football manager)

Félix Sánchez Bas (born 13 December 1975) is a Spanish football coach.

Félix Sánchez
Sánchez as Qatar manager in 2018
Personal information
Full nameFélix Sánchez Bas[1]
Date of birth (1975-12-13) 13 December 1975 (age 48)
Place of birthBarcelona, Spain
Managerial career
YearsTeam
1996–2006Barcelona (youth)
2006–2013Aspire Academy
2013–2017Qatar U19
2017–2020Qatar U23
2017–2022Qatar
2023–2024Ecuador
Medal record
Men's football
Representing  Qatar (as manager)
AFC Asian Cup
WinnerQatar 2019
FIFA Arab Cup
Bronze medal – third placeQatar 2021
AFC U-19 Championship
WinnerMyanmar 2014
AFC U-23 Championship
Bronze medal – third placeChina 2018

He has spent most of his career in Qatar, first with the national youth teams until being appointed to the senior team in 2017. His side won the 2019 AFC Asian Cup and were semi-finalists at the 2021 CONCACAF Gold Cup. He left after their group-stage elimination in their hosting of the 2022 FIFA World Cup, and became manager of Ecuador.He resigned as manager of Ecuador after they failed to beat Argentina in a penalty shootout at the Copa America Quarter Final 2024

Career

Qatar

Originally an FC Barcelona youth coach, Sánchez moved to Qatar in 2006 and joined Aspire Academy.[2] In 2013, he was appointed coach of the Qatar under-19 side, winning the following year's AFC U-19 Championship.

On 3 July 2017, after a spell with the under-20s and under-23s, Sánchez replaced Jorge Fossati at the helm of the senior side.[3] On his debut on 16 August, he won 1–0 against Andorra in a friendly at St George's Park in England.[4] The side finished the year without qualifying for the 2018 FIFA World Cup,[5] and were eliminated from the group stage of the 23rd Arabian Gulf Cup.[6]

Sánchez led Qatar to the AFC Asian Cup title for the first time in 2019 tournament, having won all three group matches and knockout stage matches including a 3–1 win over Japan in the final, scoring 19 times and conceding only once.[7] In May that year, he signed a new contract until the 2022 FIFA World Cup, to be hosted by Qatar.[8] Weeks later, the team were invitees to the 2019 Copa América in Brazil, being knocked out in the group.[9] In December, at the 24th Arabian Gulf Cup on home soil, the side reached the semi-finals.[10]

Qatar were also invited to the 2021 CONCACAF Gold Cup in the United States, where the hosts eliminated them 1–0 in the semi-finals.[11] At the end of the year, his side made it to the semi-finals of the inaugural FIFA Arab Cup on home turf,[12] eventually finishing third.[13] In the 2022 FIFA World Cup hosted by Qatar, the national team lost all their matches in Group A, to become the worst performing host nation in the history of the competition. His contract with Qatar expired on 31 December of the same year and was not renewed.[14]

Ecuador

On 11 March 2023, Sánchez signed a four-year deal to be manager of the Ecuador national football team.[15] On his debut thirteen days later, the team lost 3–1 on his debut, a friendly with Australia in Sydney.[16]

After losing against the Argentine soccer team on penalties 4-2 (a 1-1 draw in regulation time) in quarter-finals in the Copa America USA 2024, the Ecuadorian Football Federation made his departure from the Ecuadorian team official, culminating nearly 20 months of being in the team.[17]

Managerial statistics

As of match played 4 July 2024
Managerial record by team and tenure
TeamFromToRecordRef.
PWDLWin %
Qatar U191 July 201330 June 201510910090.0
Qatar U201 January 20142 July 201712228016.7
Qatar U233 July 201728 December 20203210913031.3
Qatar3 July 201731 December 202289461627051.7
Ecuador11 March 202305 July 2024191045052.6
Total162773253047.5

Honours

Qatar U19

Qatar U23

Qatar

References