Marvin Sandoval wants the near-misses and heartbreak to end. Guatemala have participated in the FIFA Futsal World Cup™ five times, and on each occasion the Central Americans have failed to advance to the knockout phase – at times in agonising fashion.
Sandoval has twice appeared in a World Cup, most recently at Lithuania 2021, when Los Chapines were minutes away from punching a last-16 ticket, only to see it slip through their fingers.
A new opportunity to make history awaits at Uzbekistan 2024, and Guatemala are keen to get a head start. Sandoval and his team-mates have spent the last three-plus weeks in the host country, playing in the Mirabror Usmanov Cup against Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyz Republic to prepare for September’s global showpiece.
Speaking with FIFA from Tashkent, there is a fierce determination in the eyes of Sandoval and a belief that this can be the year that the Guatemalan national futsal team make their big breakthrough.Let’s start with qualifying. What did you think of the team’s performance in the Concacaf Futsal Championship?
Marvin Sandoval: I think in all the games we played we were able to maintain our rhythm and it was a good tournament for us. Unfortunately, in the semi-finals against Panama, it was an atypical game for us. It was very physical and we lost our concentration, but that’s a lesson because in these short tournaments, if you commit an error, you’re out. But I think in qualifying we were very solid and that’s most important, to have that confidence to then go have a good World Cup.
You scored seven goals in qualifying. Do you think you’re in the best moment of your career?
This will be my third World Cup, so I would have to say yes, I’m in the best moment of my career. Physically I have taken good care of myself. I’m just very happy that I’m able to contribute to the national team and I hope to have a good World Cup. Scoring always gives you confidence and confidence to the group, which is the most important thing.
How are things going in your preparations in Uzbekistan?
We’re really happy and really excited. The World Cup is coming up quickly, so we’re motivated because we know it’s the most important tournament in our sport, so we are preparing ourselves to do a good job. We’ve been here three weeks and it has been a very good and enriching training camp for us. We have played six games, all at a high level.
Do you feel like the team is finding its rhythm before the World Cup?
Yes, I think at the end of the day that’s the most important thing, to have these types of tournaments, whether they are friendlies or more formal competitions. This is what you will face in the World Cup and these types of matches help you see how well you are in shape and what you need to improve on. Definitely this tournament has been very helpful for us.
What are your thoughts on group opponents IR Iran, Venezuela and France?
I think it’s a really strong group. We know that even though it’s France’s first time in a World Cup, they were able to eliminate some of the strongest teams in Europe. Iran we have faced several times previously, like in the Grand Prix or other tournaments, so we know that they are candidates to go very far in this World Cup. Venezuela are one of the best teams right now in South America, so we know it will be a difficult tournament for us.
Can Guatemala advance to the knockout phase?
Yes, that’s what we’re fighting for. We’re realists too, and we know the levels that are there, but we also have the confidence knowing that we have faced the best national teams and we’ve competed with them. I think on any given day, if you are prepared and you have some luck, you can pull a surprise, and I think the Guatemala national team can do that. We have prepared for it and we’re going to fight to pull off a surprise in the World Cup.
What lessons from Lithuania 2021 can you apply to this upcoming World Cup?
We beat Uzbekistan to start and then our second game was against Egypt. On paper it was the most winnable game for us in the group. We were dominating until the second half, when we had a lapse in concentration and the game got away from us. We could have advanced with a draw, but they came back against us and won. In the third game we had to face Russia, which was really hard. We had the chance to advance as one of the best third-place teams, but we ended up going out on goal difference. I think the lesson is that you have to play with complete focus the entire time, knowing that even a single goal can be the difference. We have to make ourselves strong as a group and know that if we stay united, we can win these types of games with the right attitude.
What do you remember about that win against Uzbekistan in 2021 when you scored two goals?
We knew they wouldn’t be easy opponents, because in the weeks prior we had been in camp in Spain and we saw how they competed with Portugal. They had prepared very well. We were very motivated and focused, which helped us a lot, and we played a near-perfect game. We were winning 4-1 but in the final minutes they equalised 4-4. Then in the final seconds we were able to score the goal that gave us the three points.
What is the future of Guatemalan futsal?
Like all the lovers of this sport around the world, we hope that it keeps growing and becomes more popular and important. I think it’s a sport that excites a lot of people. My hope is that this region and the sport in general can make solid steps forward and develop in the best way.
