World Cup Special #1
So it’s here. We’ve had six days of Qatar 2022 so far and it’s, well, it’s been extremely weird.
The opening game was poor but it was prefaced on the BBC, here in the UK, with what I thought was some excellent discussion about the tournament and how it ended up being where it was and the various controversies surrounding it. The programme started an hour before kick off and after half an hour not a word had been spoken about football. It was needed.
You may think more detail was required or that more scrutiny was needed but it was a show for a wide ranging football audience so I believe using broad strokes was OK. Any opportunity to keep people aware in a way that is accessible is fine by me. Plant the seeds of curiosity in as many people as you can and hope at least some of them do something (make a donation, go to a protest, write to their MP etc. etc.) and that they in turn influence someone to do the same.
I have no problem if someone chooses (or not) to engage with the World Cup as long as there’s an effort to stay informed about the issues that surround it. It’s the “keep politics out of football” brigade that have my ire.
At this points therefore. I’d like to encourage you, as I’ve already done on Twitter, to have a listen to this Tifo episode with football writer David Goldblatt
It’s truly fantastic and is extremely helpful in getting your thoughts straight on how to approach this kind of tricky political situation.
Which brings us to Monday. I made the decision some time ago to take two weeks off work and really embed myself in the tournament. I had visions of being able to produce lots of content and having a really fun time on Twitter with all my football mutuals. Remember the Euros? (Men’s and Women’s!) Like that.
It was naive to assume it would be like that. Everything about this tournament is off: the location and all that entails, the time of year, the disparity on Twitter between who is and isn’t watching. It’s a bad feeling and Monday felt stressful and icky and wrong. I briefly wondered if I’d made a big mistake engaging with it all.
You’ve no doubt read a million articles and threads and listened to a hundred podcasts by now, dealing with the One Love armband controversy , in which England and the rest of the European FAs who’d agreed to wear it in solidarity with the LGBTQ community made a U-turn after threats of sanctions by FIFA.
Ian Wright and Roy Keane had their say on ITV, with Ian talking about no protest without risk and Roy putting it in simple black and white terms: do it, take the card and do it.
Flo Lloyd Hughes also wrote a great piece about it for GQ about how sad and depressing it was
Eventually the German team made a small protest by putting their hands over their mouths for their team picture.
Unfortunately they then went on to suffer an historic defeat at the hands of Japan which brought all the “keep politics out of football” ghouls out of the woodwork who decided it was this gesture that caused the defeat. God knows how they think that works but it was upsetting to see my fave Granit Xhaka espouse this view along with many others including Wales manager Rob Page.
So it was a rough week in many ways and I’ve only mentioned one incident. There were many others I could’ve touched on: Grant Wahl not being allowed in a stadium with a rainbow shirt; female Wales fans being told to remove their rainbow bucket hats; an Iran fan having their Mahsa Amini flag confiscated; Iranian former pro Ghafouri being arrested. It goes on.
So keep reading, boosting, listening, donating (my suggestions are Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and the Alwan Foundation)
There have been positives though, on the pitch, despite a number of dreary 0-0 draws.
Firstly, England were fantastic against Iran on Monday and managed to put six (6) past them, including a first England goal for the incredible Jude Bellingham, a Bukayo Saka brace and goals from Sterling, Rashford and Grealish, who did the celebration he’d promised young fan Finlay he’d do.
On Tuesday, Saudi Arabia beat one of the tournament favourites, the team that perhaps felt like it is their destiny this year, Argentina. The Saudis were subsequently given a bank holiday on Wednesday and the whole team have been awarded a Rolls Royce each.
That evening, France dispatched easily with Australia following an early scare when Goodwin scored after 9 minutes. Olivier Giroud got his 50th and 51st goals putting him level with Thierry Henry as France’s top scorer.
On Wednesday another shock, with the aforementioned win over Germany by Japan. And then Spain spanked a woeful Costa Rica 7-0 with Gavi becoming not only Spain’s youngest ever player in a World Cup but their youngest goal scorer.
Thursday, or should that be Thirstday, was the day I’d been waiting for. Xhaka for Switzerland. Darwin for Uruguay. Leão for Portugal. Almost the entire Brazil team. Aaaand. Well. The first three games were pretty dull. For the first time since the competition started I fell asleep during one (apologies Uruguay Korea). They were frustrating, slow.
Portugal Ghana did pick up but only when it hit the 66th minute and the first goal was scored. Until then it was just extremely annoying. It did end 3-2 however, with a last second chance for Ghana to equalise that left everyone screaming.
Which left it down to Brazil to rescue the day’s football. And they stepped up.
In lieu of an official Thirst Trap I’m going to dedicate the rest of the newsletter to my new love. The incredible, generous, hilarious Richarlison.
A new hero of the left in Brazil.
The scorer of one of the most incredible goals on World Cup history.
Just an all round cute and funny guy.
Ooh and before I go, in lieu of a Merch Stand, if you haven’t already seen it please enjoy my World Cup Shirt Ranking.
Three more days of non-stop football from 10-9 until we move into a sparser schedule so I’m going to enjoy it while I can and hope there’s more incredible football and fewer infuriating incidents of discrimination and heavy handed policing.
Who knows when the next newsletter will be! Until then take care and see you soon!