“Of course we leave, they lose”: party among Qatari supporters did not last long

Ilian still remembers his memories well. Four years ago in Russia, he already did this work. Transport VIPs from the stadium to their vehicles. A comfortable job that had already given him a taste of the greatest sporting spectacle on the planet. This Sunday evening at Al-Bayt Stadium, a grand fence in the middle of the desert, the break has just sounded, but it looks like the party is already over. “We agree, does that sound crazy? he swings, turning on himself. In front of him, dozens of spectators follow each other with packages of goodies in their hands to the exits leading to huge parking lots. Qatar loses to Ecuador 2-0 in the first leg. But the preliminary result has already taken over part of the audience.

The Abdullah brothers are 14 and 12 years old. They live in the city of Al-Khor, where they moved one of the eight stadiums of the World Cup. Their place, they paid for it, but it does not interfere. These two do not feel disgust, anger, or anything else. They are simply fed up with the game of their players, the authors of the first act, however, very painful. “Of course we leave, they lose. Last time they won 3-0. There they take two goals and take yellow cards, ”the younger laughs.

Al-Annabi (“Bordeaux”), newcomers of this level, hardly joined the game. As if the heat generated by the opening ceremony was too hard to take in and the flames impossible to maintain once the meeting had started.

“We are honored to be able to host such an event”

Of course, this is not how the host country imagined the beginning of the competition. Sports results are nothing short of infamous. But the décor – very sophisticated and family – has lost some of its splendor in a few minutes. A mini-cop was set up at the foot of one of the two gates, but that folklore wasn’t enough to keep some of the public out.

Like Amar, there was pride in the eyes of many onlookers at the beginning of the evening. This Palestinian, born in Qatar, took the seats for her three daughters on this occasion. One of them, in boots on her foot and blues on her shoulders, is happy to be able to exchange a few words in French she learned at school. “Things going well?” she formulates. “We are honored to be able to host such an event. We prepared it for a long time so that I could not miss it, ”congratulates the mother.

Next to them, the Ecuadorians had also just passed through the security gate. Some traffic issues for them, but “nothing particularly worrisome compared to South America,” reassures 22-year-old George. “We are very happy to spend these ten days here.” The Ecuadorian clan will set the tone for the stadium a bit. An island of song and noise that at times made people forget the incessant hum of the air conditioning system. Turbines installed on the top floor of the stadium are not visible, but are audible on the forecourt.

Inside, it’s the other way around. Literally and figuratively, the whole evening of November 20, 2022 was refreshing atmosphere. It is now 20:59, the match ends. 2:0, final score. And food kiosks, completely devoid of alcohol at the last moment, still haven’t really found buyers on the forecourt. Mohammed is not here. He also slipped away at halftime. “It doesn’t matter,” he commented furtively. I came to the ceremony. In his defense, some did not have the patience and he left the stadium in the 31st minute of the game and with the second goal of the Ecuadorian.