Strict but fair. The international press was not shy about Qatar’s poor performance in the first match of the 2022 World Cup against Ecuador. For the first time in history, the host side lost their first game, but that’s not the problem. Qatari’s level of play has revived criticism over awarding the World Cup to such a weak country on earth.
On the English side, the BBC was a profit, reminiscent of “terrible beginnings.” “A dream turns into a nightmare,” wrote the British media, referring to the lavish opening ceremony led by Morgan Freeman, with local supporters “sitting in silence.” Also through the Daily Mail channel, she mentioned the departure of the fans in the second half due to the “too quiet” rhythm of the match. The ban on the sale of beer near stadiums also made headlines, replacing the traditional “Here we go” with “Beer, here we go.”
The fans “left their team”
In Italy, Gazzetta dello Sport even called Qatar’s opening match a “global failure”. The Italian newspaper did not skimp on the game proposed by the 2019 Asian champions: “The debut of Qatar is a kind of sports nightmare. (…) Dribbling is slow, the game is full of bugs, the game ideas are messy…”
On the other side of the Pyrenees, Marca also hit the front page this Monday with the headline: “This is worrying.” The Spanish media is particularly critical of the departure of fans who “left their team”, which should be “great concern for FIFA”. In short, a good failure everywhere in Europe.
Source: Le Parisien
I have worked in the news industry for over 10 years. I have a keen interest in sports and have written for many different publications. I am currently working as an author at 24 News Recorder. I cover mostly sports news but also write about other topics such as current affairs and politics. I have a strong interest in social media and how it can be used to engage with audiences.
