Talajic targets World Cup spot for Bahrain after Gulf Cup success

Bahrain coach Dragan Talajic will be looking to use this month's Gulf Cup success as a spur to drive the country towards a first-ever World Cup appearance and bring an end to the island state's qualification hoodoo.

Bahrain lifted the regional title with a 2-1 victory over Oman in Kuwait on Jan. 4, claiming the trophy for the second time to give their World Cup hopes a major injection of confidence.

"After winning the Gulf Cup, we received a huge boost, and we look forward to using this positive momentum to perform well in the World Cup qualifiers," Talajic told Reuters.

    "I believe this generation will make history for Bahraini football in the World Cup."

The island nation of around 1.5 million people, positioned in a narrow strip of the Gulf between Saudi Arabia and Qatar, has never previously qualified for the World Cup.

They have twice gone close, however, missing out on Germany in 2006 to Trinidad and Tobago in an intercontinental playoff before suffering the same fate against New Zealand four years later.

But with FIFA increasing the World Cup from 32 to 48 teams for the next edition, eight Asian nations will qualify directly for 2026 and that, plus the hiring of Talajic, has given the Bahrainis belief.

The 59-year-old has spent much of his coaching career in the Gulf, serving as Bahrain's technical director before replacing Juan Antonio Pizzi at the helm following the team's exit from the Asian Cup in February.

Talajic's impact was instant, guiding his side through the remaining matches of the second phase of Asian qualifying and into the third round, where Bahrain kicked off their campaign in September with a last-gasp 1-0 win over Australia.

By November, draws with Indonesia, Saudi Arabia and Australia had moved