Qatar plotting to defy the odds in historic World Cup opener
History will be made when host Qatar gets the World Cup under way with a clash against Ecuador.
And head coach Felix Sanchez says "you never know what can happen".
Al Bayt Stadium will be the venue for the opening match of the tournament on Monday (AEDT) and Qatar's first World Cup game.
The 2019 AFC Asian Cup champion is not expected to advance from Group A, which also includes the Netherlands and Senegal.
Sanchez is realistic over Qatar's prospects but is relishing the challenge of trying to defy expectations.
"Obviously, I'm not talking about Qatar winning the World Cup but competing at a good level against those three teams is our challenge," the Spaniard said.
"Then this is football, and you never know what can happen."
Ecuador is 44th in the world rankings, only six places higher than Qatar, as the South American nations prepares to lock horns with the tournament host in Al Khor.
Defender Byron Castillo was a late omission from Gustavo Alfaro's squad due to a dispute over his nationality this week.
Alfaro knows his side is not among those tipped for success but he expects his men to make life difficult for their group rivals.
"The World Cup is totally different from what the qualifiers are," he said/
"If we are going to play the way we played the qualifiers most likely we won't have a chance, because we are going to play against the Asian champions, against the African champions and against the Netherlands, who are in the final four in Europe.
"They are teams that are superior to what we are, for a reason we were in pot number four in the draw, if we had been the best we would have been in pot one or two.
"We have to be make things difficult, we have to be the pebble in their shoe."
If history is anything to go by the encounter should be entertaining, as the past four opening World Cup games have produced 17 goals at an average of 4.25 per match.
Al Bayt Stadium has been a happy hunting ground for Qatar, with wins in its three previous matches at the venue with an aggregate score of 9-0.