Despite ranking 100th in the world, Kazakhstan’s national football team is currently going through a fairy tale run toward Euro 2024.
As Germany prepares to open the curtains on the European football championships on 14 June, an unfamiliar footballing face could appear on the grand stage. The Kazakhstan men’s national team will be hoping to participate in its first ever major international tournament by qualifying for Euro 2024.
The Hawks could have ensured direct qualification at the last day of group stage qualifiers, but a 2-1 loss to Slovenia on 23 November saw them drop to fourth, unable to secure a direct spot in the Euros (only the top two from each group quality). However, Kazakhstan won their group in the less prestigious UEFA Nations League, securing them a berth at the Euro-qualifier playoffs.
The fate for Kazakhstan’s quest to lock horns against some of Europe’s football giants will be decided by the end of March. The country is set to play Greece on 21 March and a victory would see them bump shoulders with the winners of Luxembourg vs. Georgia on 26 March.
Olzhasbek Zhakenov, a Kazakh fan based in Doha, said, “We are excited. It is the most important game in our history. It’s our actual chance to go to the European Championship.”
Despite ranking 100th in the world, Kazakhstan is currently enjoying a fairy tale run, providing some shocking results – they toppled Denmark and Finland 3-2 and 2-1 respectively.
Ruslan Medelbek, 34, a reporter at RFE/RL who reported from the Rio, Tokyo, and Beijing Olympic Games, credits a structural change in the Kazakhstan Football Federation for this success. Until recently, the defense minister doubled up as the football federation’s head. “So they had two jobs and football was their second priority,” he said. “However, the newly elected president is only dedicated to the federation.” That has led to a higher level of competition in the domestic league, he said, and some Kazakhstan players have garnered attention from clubs in Europe, which, in turn, strengthened the national squad and improved its performance.
Another important factor for the team’s success was the appointment of their new head coach, Magodev Adiyev. “It’s a little bit of luck and of course great work from the coach because it is not a completely new team,” said Anton Lyssyak, head of media and marketing for the QJ League, a new Kazakh youth football league which started in 2023. “Almost all the players on this team have played before but the results were not so brilliant.”
No Easy Task
RFE/RL’s Medelbek says that the tough struggle against Greece will need every player’s best performance. Still, he acknowledges that the attacking flair of the country’s leading scorer, Bakhtiyar Zaynutdinov, and the defensive stability of Nuraly Alip will be critical if the Hawks want to fulfill their dream. Medelbek also mentioned that forward Abat Aymbetov, midfielders Islambek Kuat and Ramazan Orazov, and goalkeeper Stas Pokatilov will also play significant roles in the upcoming fixture.
“The reality is Greece is a step ahead. But Kazakhstan will fight,” Medelbek said. “During the game with Denmark, it was 2-0 [for Denmark], but in the last minutes Kazakhstan scored three goals. They can definitely fight in Greece.”
None of that has stopped the Kazakh fans from dreaming. “If we win, I don’t want to face Georgia,” Zhakenov said. “I am scared of [Khvicha] Kvaratskhelia, the Napoli player. But for Kazakh people it will be easy to fly to Georgia so it’s a confusing situation. But the biggest focus is on Greece because they are a tough opponent.”
Some still wonder if the current success will be sustainable. “Honestly, now the result is great,” said Lyssyak. “[But] it will be very hard to be on the same level for the qualifiers and the [UEFA] Nations League.”
The nation’s footballing future, though, looks to be bright no matter what happens in the upcoming two games.
“Our young guys, especially at the youth level, can compete with European clubs and teams,” Lyssyak said. “Now, youth football in Kazakhstan is developing and growing. I think maybe in five to 10 years, Kazakhstan players will play in Europe in big clubs.” He pointed to Ilyas Abil’s move this season from the Kazakhstan youth league to Gil Vicente F.C. in Portugal. “So, for Kazakh football, it’s a big move. Especially for a player who is just 18,” he added.
Zhakenov believes that the team’s newfound sparkle has also brought new enthusiasm to Kazakhs. “Football united Kazakhs in a way. Everyone is waiting for this game and even if we lose, we will still believe in our team,” he said. “Until a few years ago, when we heard that we were playing against teams like England, we would go there to watch the English players. But now, people want to go to all games to support the Kazakh players.”
Soon, the Hawks will either come within breathing distance of the Euros but fail or they will complete their two steps to glory. No matter which way it turns out, the performance of the team is already historical.
“Our players are already heroes,” Lyssyak said. “But if we win, and if we are in the Euros, all of Germany will be filled with Kazakh flags.”
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Anudit Basnet is a student of journalism at Northwestern University in Qatar and currently an editorial intern with Transitions.
